Wednesday - June 18, 2025

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 After a good nights rest, I woke up tired and sore while Laura was up and ready to go at 0530.  Hence, she set off on a 13 km hike out to Torinosu-heiwa Park/Torinosu Peace Park.  I am hanging around the house feeling sorry for myself and my sore muscles from yesterday's hike!!!!:)

I did get out a few minutes ago to walk through the Tokei shrine and then around it.. nice walk trough back alleys and backyards but their are no clouds today and it is blazing hot outside.

A few pictures from the shrine and a look at some of the flowers and utility covers... I have always enjoyed the beautiful metal covers...

Just looked at the sign at the entry to our house:  It says "House of the three fighting cocks"!


The Tokei Shrine:

It was built in 419. The name of the shrine was after the historical event that Kumanobetto Tanzo, the father of Benkei, let the red hen and the white hen fight. (Tokei means fighting hens.) It was used to be Shinkumanogongen-sya shrine, and local calls Gongen-san. This shrine attached to Kumano Sanzan, so people came and worshipped here during the pilgrimage to Kumano. It was registered as World Heritage Sites in 2016.



Flowers blooming along the hike:






Utility covers on the sidewalks:

This one says "Fire Hydrant"

Upper left is "Tanabe City" and lower right is "Water Meter"

"Air Valve"- don't know what that really means.


Laura made it back from her walk around 1130 and, while she was hot and tired, she didn't feel that it was a particularly scenic walk.  She did make it out to the Torinosu Peace Park which commemorates the soldiers who operated thein 1943-45.
This is the Torinosu Peace Park that Laura visited during her walk today.


Above is one of the caves (containing a replica suicide boat) at the Torinosu Peace Park.



Our front door with the sign which says the Three Fighting Cocks House.

This represents an area where people would wash themselves in the sea water as a form of ablution. Shi means sea and gori means to cleanse.


Jizo Bodhisattva:

  • Protector of Travelers and Children: Jizo is one of the most beloved and widely worshipped Buddhist deities in Japan. He is primarily revered as the protector of travelers, and, very significantly, as the guardian of children, especially those who died prematurely (including miscarriages, stillbirths, and abortions).

  • Another example of Jizo Bodhisattva, protector of travelers and children.











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