Does anyone know more about the history of Susaki Kannon, when, who, why, etc.?
The Kansai Kamuro Party meeting was held on the 7th and came to a lively close. People came from all over the country, including Okikamuro Island, Hiroshima, and Tokyo, to attend the event and I was able to see some familiar faces.
On the 12th, a total of 10 people including my children and family left Osaka for a newly opened campsite. It was Friday. We set off as soon as my grandson got home from school, heading straight for the hotel in front of Higashi Hiroshima Station. My classmate, Kariyama-kun, lives in Higashi Hiroshima. He lived at Kariyama-jo (the eldest son who lived in front of the pharmacy). I worried about whether we would be able to meet as it was a sudden event, but we missed each other in our lives, and he ended up in Osaka. Is this what it means to miss each other in life?
Registration for the campsite starts at 3pm and entry is not possible until then. We left Higashihiroshima at a leisurely pace. It looked like it was going to rain in the direction of Yamaguchi. We were hoping it wouldn't rain until the 15th, when we would be staying, but the sky looked like it would turn out to be correct... We had seafood donburi for lunch at a roadside station in Towa Town, and in the light rain (drizzle), we drove around Katazoe and crossed the Kamuro Bridge.
The rain stopped and I passed by where the my Okajo house stood in Susaki (on the main road in Kamuro) to visit my ancestors' graves. There was no one around in the afternoon, perhaps taking a nap. Three cats greeted me. My family's grave is in an old cemetery, located in the center of a traditional cemetery. I visited the grave just before COVID-19 hit, and about five years ago, a small tree that was growing in the center of the cemetery at the time was trying to raise the grave behind it across the path and incorporate it into its trunk. It had grown into a large tree. Will it be enough to dig up the crowded graves in another 10 years?
The rain has stopped temporarily and the incense sticks are about to burn to their last. When ten people light incense, the incense holder is full, with each person putting one stick. We tidy up the area a bit, put in a few artificial flowers, and finish our prayers by putting our hands together. The rain-soaked approach to the temple is dangerous with fallen leaves, so we cautiously make our way down to the Kannon statue. What we find there is that the entrance door won't open, so we lift the heavy door up and finally open both doors halfway and go inside. Inside is a world of pitch darkness, and when we shine the light from our cell phone, we can see a golden Buddha statue glaring at us from behind the bars. It seems that the gold leaf has been replaced and an ‘Kaigan’ ceremony has been held, and it is a magnificent Buddha statue that was already 80 to 90 years old. Apparently my mother, who was born in the Taisho era, held an ‘Kaigan’ ceremony when she was little. There was a mokugyo in front of the lattice, and my grandson was curious about it and made a sound to pray to it. One of the rafters had fallen off the Kannon building, and the roof was half covered with ivy, making us keenly aware of the difficulty of maintaining it
Before I knew it, the number of residents had grown to about 70, and people over 80 years old were apparently volunteering for the fire brigade. I made an appointment at the Kamuro meeting on the 7th to have my friend's family home checked out for leaks, so I stopped by on the way and took photos of the leaks and the roof. I don't know how many years ago it was, but it seems that a tile flew off during a typhoon. When I went to the elementary school, I saw three ladies. (The children were making lots of detours, so my younger daughter was watching over them out of concern.) I called out to them right away, but no one knew who they were. I finally found out who they were after I mentioned my older sister's name. (My daughter muttered that she didn't understand?) We chatted for a while, and when I asked if Hiroko, sister of Omiya, was there, she said that she would be on the first floor at this time. When I called out to her, her younger sister came out of the inner sanctuary. She was a beautiful, elderly Kamuro resident with shiny skin.
I asked Mr. Yamamoto, a carpenter, if there was anyone from Kamuro or Oshima-cho who could repair the roof, but he said there wasn't anyone. Shiraki Sangyo seems to be the only company in town that I could ask, but they're busy with house demolition and stuff, so I don't know when they'll be able to come.
Anyway, when we arrived at the campsite, the tents were already set up. (There are 10 sites in total). I made so many detours. My wife couldn't return to the family for the funeral, so when I went to say hello, she got angry. I turned back from the campsite and started walking again because I was drinking. I lit incense for Uncle Isoroku of Yanagiwara. And I lit incense for Uncle Hamada (luckily his son was there for about two weeks), and the horse mackerel that the 10 of us devoured was still alive. The next day, we were given a large mackerel to grill and stew. To top it all off, Kanai Shipyard owner’s sister who returned from Chiba two years ago, brought us some freshly baked bread. On the first day, we had delicious horse mackerel tataki and sashimi, and on the second day, we had mackerel for dinner, and the 10 of us were delighted with the freshly baked bread. The only mistake was that the store-bought bread tasted bad after the delicious bread? It looked so good that we ate it first. I couldn't wait until we had it for breakfast on the 15th!
On the 13th we had 5 tents, but by the 14th it had become 4. Our family had only 2 tents, Campsite was full at begining, but we had some cancellations, so it was sad. On the 15th, everyone else had folded up their tents early in the morning. It was pouring rain, so we spent 3 days camping in the rain at Okikamuro Island Campground. We couldn't go in the sea, and we had to use umbrellas when fishing, but we were able to meet a lot of people this time. I was the only one who enjoyed Okikamuro in the rain. The other family members, my daughter's family, my son's family, and my wife, all seemed unable to enjoy Okikamuro.
By the way, the campsite is an investment by the town, isn't it? It will be expected to be developed as a village. There is nothing here, but as an additional investment, there will be promenades and play on the back rocks (Nagase Beach, Ipponmatsu Beach). The town wants things like walking around Mt.shiraki and climbing Mt. ‘Mazan’, which we played in our childhood. If we could walk around the temples (historical walks) and shrines (the letters on the spine are the history of Kamuro), we would be able to enjoy using the campsite for several days again. Providing walking paths around the island will increase usage over the long term and create jobs through maintenance. There is no doubt that the increase in visitors will contribute to the liveliness of Okikamuro. Once they get over the hassle, their descendants will come to visit with pleasure. Okikamuro's history repeats itself, a history of defeat and prosperity. From the top of the mountain, you can see Kyushu, Shikoku, and numerous islands, beautiful scenery, and a starry sky. The lighthouse station has been renovated and its history is now on display, and there are also experiences on board a sailing ship, such as the history of deep-sea fishing, and rowing a lighter boat. Okikamuro Island is sure to be a hot topic as it allows visitors to experience the history of the times when our ancestors lived.
Daily life doesn't go as I want it to, and as the years go by, my body is screaming out loud. Pursuing your dreams fills you with hope and makes you younger. One day you'll forget about the pain in your body as you focus on your dreams. I'm an irresponsible person who relies on others, but these three days really touched my heart with the bond between the Okikamuro people.
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