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Osorezan
is the name of a Buddhism, Buddhist temple and folk religion pilgrimage destination in the center of remote Shimokita Peninsula of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern TÅhoku region of northern Japan. The temple is located in the caldera of an active volcano and is believed in Japanese mythology to be one of the gates to the underworld. Etymology The mountain was once called Usoriyama by the Ainu people, but was gradually changed by the Japanese to Osore, meaning "dread", which may be a statement to the sites of enshrined dead in the area. Mount Osore volcano The mountain is one peak of the , a series of eight somma volcanos ranging from east to west in the centre of Shimokita Peninsula. Mount Osore has a height of . Although Mount Osore last erupted over 10,000 years ago, the area has many fumaroles emitting steam and volcanic gases (especially sulfur dioxide), indicating that it is still an active volcano. Lake Usori is a caldera lake at the center of Mount Osore, with highly a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Itako
, also known as or , are blind women who train to become spiritual mediums in Japan. Training involves severe ascetic practices, after which the woman is said to be able to communicate with Japanese Shinto spirits, ''kami'', and the spirits of the dead. ''Itako'' perform rituals tied to communication with the dead and divination. The practice has been on the decline, with only 20 living ''itako'' in Japan, all more than 40 years old. Training for ''itako'' traditionally began at a very young age, and included ritualized exposure to cold water. Hundreds of buckets of ice water could be poured on their bodies over the course of a few days. This education for ''itako'' takes about three years, and also includes memorization of songs and sutras. At the end of this training, a ceremony is held, announcing the marriage of the ''itako'' and her patron spirit. Scholars suggest that blindness has long been associated with spiritual powers in Japan. Furthermore, options for those with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
