Gragma's Yokai Tourbus: 2015

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

xi. Shinmei Shrine (神明神社) or "Live Nue" Part 5

Location: Shimogyo Ward (near subway Shijo Stn.), Kyoto City; about 40 min. from Osaka or about 5 min. from Kyoto + 2 min. walking time

Associated with: Nue aka "the Japanese chimera"

Since starting to write these posts about the nue, for some odd reason I've found myself sympathizing with it more and more in the lead up to its demise. This post on Shinmei Shrine marks the final "Live Nue" post, and though it'll technically still be alive at the beginning of the next post, it'll be well and truly dead by the end of it. I suppose now is probably a good time to remind everybody, including myself, that none of this real.

To recap the previous posts, Yorimasa now has both the shaft and the fletchings of his arrow. All the arrow needs is a tip, or arrowhead. Though a little bit anticlimactic, this he received from his mother, who apparently had kept it as an heirloom passed down from Yorimasa's great-great-grandfather Minamoto no Yorimitsu. With the final piece in hand, Yorimasa had now a very potent projectile in which to fire at the great swirling vortex, inside of which the nue had had plenty of time to terrorize Emperor Konoe, pick up its dry-cleaning, and finish watching Season 1 of MacGyver.

Not so fast, hot shot. Surely there's time for one more prayer. How about... Shinmei Shrine? And so it was that at this shrine Yorimasa prayed for the successful outcome for what he was about to attempt. After he proved successful, he later devoted not one, but two arrowheads (a spare?) to the shrine, and they are kept as treasures there to this day. You'd perhaps think he'd hold on to at least one of them after they'd been in his family for five generations. And how about Jizo? A Bodhisattva went to the trouble of actually appearing to Yorimasa in a dream and telling him precisely where to find and what to use for the fletchings, so you think if anything he'd have given at least one to the hall in Kameoka. Shinmei Shrine by comparison appears to be just a random shrine.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

On the placard just outside the shrine it reads:

This site was formally part of the large mansion of Tadamichi Fujiwara, principal figure of the once powerful Fujiwara clan. It is recorded that Emperor Konoe, who reigned from 1141 to 1155, often used the house of Tadamichi, foster father of his consort, as a temporary imperial palace.

So this time the link is with Emperor Konoe. It does make one ask though, if Konoe could hit his father-in-law up for temporary digs, was he actually in the Seiryo-den at the time of the crisis? Or even if he had been, would he have hung around with a screaming nue looming above him? With the palace becoming more and more dilapidated, it makes perfect sense for Konoe to be living here at Shinmei Shrine if things were less than satisfactory (e.g. flying screaming monsters) at home. And I could totally see Yorimasa praying at this shrine if the emperor himself was there. In fact it would be the shortest distance one could travel from the man to a place of worship.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

I realize I already played my hand in a previous post regarding the symbolism of Yorimasa firing his "arrow" into the whirling vortex, but as I followed the tale along, I half played with the idea of the nue being a symbol of the degradation and abandonment of the original Heian Palace. There seems to be too much going on for that to be so, but the nue did appear in the sky over a specific location, and was associated with sickness, foreboding and outright evil. After its death (spoiler alert) it would soon be associated with what very strongly appears to be impurity, not to mention a curse of some kind.

Coming back to the tale, with the arrow in hand, Yorimasa lay in wait at the imperial palace. In the hours following midnight, he sensed the appearance of the swirling black cloud above and heard a piercing cry. Despite its presence being made known, Yorimasa was unable to catch even the slightest glimpse of the creature. In Jedi fashion, he closed his eyes and offered up a prayer to Jizo. Drawing his bow until it was "curved like a full moon" (man-crush: activated), he aimed for the center of the cloud and let fly his arrow...

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1842 (Source: Richard Kruml, www.japaneseprints-london.com/ via http://ukiyo-e.org)

Comments: Usually it's not possible to see the real arrowheads, so Shinmei Shrine is for most of the year just another small nondescript shrine. Unlike the last two arrow entries though, you can't beat the location of downtown Kyoto for ease of access. If you were at Kyoto Station and had just one hour, this site is totally doable (providing you move smartly and don't get lost). It's also on the way to/on the same subway line as the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The Higashiyama district, which you'll remember from previous posts, is also a short trip east from here.

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Umeda Stn. Our destination is (Kyoto) subway Shijo Stn.

Getting Your Bearings at Shijo Station

At Shijo Stn., go out at Exit 3. This will have you facing west at the street level. You need to go a few blocks east, so as you come out turn left and then immediately turn again at the street on the left, essentially doing a 180-degree movement. The shrine is a very short walk from there.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Information on Shinmei Shrine

Shinmei Shrine is not all that big and something closer to a large hokora or wayside shrine. I'm going to include a recommended google seach below, but be advised that there are a lot of shrines that go by the name Shinmei. This Shinmei Shrine is known locally as Enoki-Shinmei (榎神明). Enoki refers to the Japanese name of the tree out the front, which clumsily translates into English as "Japanese hackberry." You needn't be battling mythical creatures to pray here; Shinmei also offers protection against fires and "evils."

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

The actual arrowheads, or yajiri (矢尻/鏃), are displayed once a year at the shrine's annual festival. This is held on the second Saturday of September and the Sunday that follows it. Photographs of the arrowheads are displayed at other times of the year.

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html

(yokai) Nue (鵺)
Site: Shinmei Shrine (神明神社), aka Enoki-Shinmei (榎神明)
Nearest Station: Subway Shijo Stn. (四条駅)
Google Map Search: "Shinmei Shrine Shimogyo"

Sunday, December 27, 2015

x. The Arrowhead Jizo (矢ノ根地蔵) and the Tomb of Yorimasa's Head (頼政塚) or "Live Nue" Part 4

Location: Kameoka City (near Kameoka Stn., JR Line), Kyoto Prefecture; about 1 hour from Osaka or 20-25 min. from Kyoto + 15 min. walking time (about the same again if you plan to continue on to the tomb)

Associated with: Nue aka "the Japanese chimera"

It doesn't seem that it was ever Yorimasa's mission to construct the perfect arrow for the job; from what I can tell he would have tried shooting the nue with a chopstick if that's all he had. Rather, it was the case that the arrow took shape in the process of the warrior reflecting on the task at hand. In the case of this particular site, it was Yorimasa looking to seek spiritual guidance from the Bodhisattva Jizo.

As any visitor to Japan knows, you needn't go far to find a statue of Jizo, so it strikes me as odd that Yorimasa sought out this particular statue of Jizo on the other side of town. (Though I suppose it's no more ridiculous than harvesting bamboo arrow shafts from two prefectures over.)

But as it happened, Yorimasa was apparently worried about whether he could defeat the nue, so at Kameoka he offered up prayers to the guardian Bodhisattva. That night, Jizo appeared to Yorimasa in a dream and told him to quell the menace by making an arrow with the feathers of a mountain pheasant from Mt. Tori.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

The site goes by a few names. The correct name for the location appears to be Kose-Jizo-do (古世地蔵堂), or Kose-Jizo Hall, but it's also known as the Arrowhead Jizo Hall (Yanone-Jizo-do). It houses the Arrowhead Jizo, which is apparently also known as the Yoko-cho Jizo (横町地蔵). Yoko-cho, or Yoko Town, is where the building is located... kind of. (It's actually just outside the municipal designation.)

The question is though, does the hall in any way acknowledge the part in played in the nue legend? Researching the site, one will discover that their Jizo statue holds a staff in its hand for most of the year, but on the day of the Jizo-bon festival (the third weekend in August), the staff is replaced with an arrow in honor of Yorimasa's defeat of the nue.

Well things lined up for me this past year and I was able to pay a visit to Kameoka on the third weekend in August.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

Jizo-bon festivals are usually tiny affairs put on for children by their local neighborhood associations. Possibly due to the declining birthrate, the number of adults that come to help out at these festivals is often larger than the number of kids, and having participated in several local Jizo-bon festivals, I knew I could probably expect to find a group of neighbors sitting around and having a chat. That meant my reception would depend on them and whoever happened to be the association head that year.

I needn't have worried. I received a warm welcome and was soon invited in for tea. Inside, the hall was decorated with hangings of Yorimasa slaying the nue, a life-size diagram of his bow, and depictions of the Buddhist realms of rebirth. (This might explain why sitting on the right of the altar was a statue of Enma, the King of Hell.)

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

I found myself in a bit of quandary as Jizo was not really visible through the viewing window. I asked if it would be all right to get up close to the altar, and couldn't believe my luck when the head of the association offered to open up the back door to the inner sanctum for me.

Nearby, a group of middle-aged ladies sat enjoying the proceedings. Upon hearing that the door to Jizo's sanctum was being opened, several remarked that it was their first time to get a look inside. One said the only time she'd ever seen the Jizo statue was when the hall was renovated. I realized then that if almost none of these locals had even seen the Jizo, it was doubtful that anybody had been in there to change around the staff for an arrow (or do anything) for a long time, and certainly not that day. What would I find? Would Jizo be carrying a staff or an arrow?

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

You can imagine my disappointment when I discovered that on this day, the day of the Jizo-bon festival, Jizo was holding a staff. And by the looks of it, the staff didn't seem to be the kind of accessory that could be switched out easily. I have to admit it was a letdown after the excitement of being allowed to see the statue.

But then I took another look.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

Jizo was holding a staff, but he was also holding an arrow. The arrowhead was simply pointing down so that to the casual observer it looked like he was holding a staff. It was only when you looked closer that the arrow became apparent. With plenty of photos taken and that bit of debunking out of the way, it was time for me to bid farewell to my gracious hosts and head off to the next site.

---

Speaking of heads being off, you're probably wondering what this business is regarding the tomb of "Yorimasa's head." Those of you not acquainted with history are no doubt beginning to suspect that things eventually did not end well for the man, as in order to have a tomb for a head (a kubizuka, or 首塚), the head in question first needs to be removed from its owner's body.

I'm going to cover Yorimasa's fate in a separate entry, but one thing I'll say now about head removal in Japan is that in the impending arrival of an enemy who is about to defeat you, if you've managed to cut your guts open and have a friend chop your head off, you've had just about the best death you could hope for. What could put a dampener on it is your head becoming a war trophy or being shown as proof of your death to an opposing general while he, say, sips tea in a temple he has "borrowed" for his headquarters. If there is a risk of that happening, it's preferable to have your head hidden after it has been separated from your body. Following a noble death, this may involve hiding it in a very ignoble fashion so that not only enemies but just about anybody would have trouble retrieving it.

And so it happened that in the official account, after Yorimasa's noble and honorable death, a retainer threw his head into a river... However, one legend has it that the retainer in fact smuggled out the head and gave it a proper burial here in Kameoka City.

The tomb known as Yorimasa-zuka (頼政塚 or "Yorimasa's Tomb") is on a hill and adjacent to Tsutsujigaoka Elementary School. This location is rather far from where Yorimasa breathed his last, and quite a long way to carry a head, but some legitimacy is given to the tale in that it is a location very close to the land that was awarded to Yorimasa for his extermination of the nue, an area that was to become known as Yada (矢田) or "Arrowfield." In fact just west of the Arrowhead Jizo there are municipal designations that still bear this title in their names: Yadacho ("Arrowfield Town") and Shimo-Yada ("Lower Arrowfield"). It is thought that perhaps Yorimasa's head was buried here because out of all his lands, this was the least distance from where he died.

Not that any of my dear readers should be too concerned, but the head, perhaps not totally satisfied with its circumstances, is rumored to bestow a curse upon visitors who display improper or impolite behavior. Said curse will cause paralysis to the hands and feet, followed by death. Always being on my best behavior I wasn't particularly worried, but that changed when my first step up the hill caused a snake to spring out from under the brush. While it didn't have the characteristic markings of the dreaded mamushi, or Japanese pit viper, the experience had me watching my every step. Grappling with the fear of being bitten by a snake for the entire walk up, by the time I reached the tomb all I could think about was the curse. While not a particularly imposing structure, for some reason I could not bring myself to photograph it, so instead here's the view from the top.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

Comments: Kameoka is a lovely city, but the sites themselves are not that impressive to the casual tourist. After all, that's probably not Yorimasa's actual head in there, so I would only recommend it if you had a spare day in Kyoto and wanted to get away from the tourist throng. There is not a lot to do "while you're there," but you could combine it with a trip to Arashiyama (speaking of tourist throngs). I would aim to get the Kameoka sites out of the way in the morning so you can take Arashiyama at your own pace for the rest of the day.

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Umeda Stn. Our destination is Kameoka Stn. on the JR line.

Umeda Stn. lies next to Osaka Stn., a large hub of intersecting JR lines. From subway Umeda, follow the signs directing you to JR Osaka Stn. Unlike Umeda, there is only one "Osaka" station, but south there is another JR station called Kitashinchi. Though you'll likely find Osaka Stn. with your eyes closed, if you are following "JR" signs and you've been walking for longer than 5 minutes or so there is a small possibility you've made a wrong turn. I again want to point out that we're starting at subway Umeda Stn. to keep it in line with our Midosuji Line-centered travel, but if you are staying in the Osaka Stn. area or near a station on the Loop Line, you obviously needn't worry about the subway for this trip.

As for Osaka Stn., it's a big one so take your time finding your platform. The longest that you'll wait for a train leaving for Kyoto is 10 minutes, so don't rush and don't stress out. Just take your time to follow the signs and directions to the platform and you will be fine.

As for Kyoto Stn., it's on the Kyoto Line stretch of the Tokaido Main Line. The Tokaido Line continues past Osaka Stn. and Kyoto Stn., but the sections of it are named differently according to its location. The Kyoto Line operates in combination with the Biwako Line (and JR Kobe Line in the opposite direction). This means a train service will likely not terminate at Kyoto Stn. but continue uninterrupted on the next stretch of line. So, for example, trains at Osaka Stn. leaving for Nagahama, Maibara or Yasu, will all stop without fail at Kyoto Stn. as they are all on the Tokaido Main Line past Kyoto. In other words, you need to look for trains going in the direction of Kyoto or trains stopping at Kyoto, as the train services won't necessarily be labeled as "Kyoto Trains" because they almost certainly won't be terminating there.

Take the shinkaisoku, or special rapid service train from Osaka. You can also take the kaisoku, or rapid service train, but it will add more time to your trip. If it's a consideration, the kaisoku is a bit easier to get a seat on compared to the special rapid service. At Kyoto Station you need to change lines but not stations, so don't go through the ticket gates. The name of the line is the Sanin Main Line, and specifically the Sagano Line for the first stretch of it you will travel on. If you are lucky to get a kaisoku, or rapid service train, it will only take 20 minutes from Kyoto to Kameoka (4 stops). The regular service though only takes another 5 minutes or so (9 stops), and with the relative infrequency of services, I recommend you jump on whatever is leaving first. If you're planning to visit Arashiyama the same day, the stop on the JR line is Saga-Arashiyama Station. You'll pass it on the way to Kameoka and on the way back. The rapid service also makes a stop there.

Getting Your Bearings at Kameoka Station

At Kameoka Stn., go through the ticket gates and turn right to head out the South Exit. You'll be able to recognize the South Exit as the "town side." If you leave the station and immediately see a whole bunch of farmland, chances are you've gone out the North Exit. The route to the Arrowhead Jizo is fairly straightforward. Please refer to the map below:

Map courtesy of Google Maps

It's a bit difficult to see on the above map, but there is a right turn at the end. After turning, the Arrowhead Jizo Hall can be seen immediately on the right.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Image courtesy of Google Maps

It is another 20 minutes on foot to get to Yorimasa's kubizuka.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Here is the first half of the route to the river, followed by the second half from the river to the site, and then the final approach.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Image/Map courtesy of Google Maps

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Additional Notes on the Sites

The Arrowhead Jizo Hall may well be closed up when you get there, as it doesn't open like a regular temple or shrine. To see inside, you could try holding yourself close to the doors to peer through the glass. If the doors are unlocked, it should be fine for you to open them up to pay your respects, but please be sure to close them afterward as the hall may or may not be staffed when you visit. The Jizo statue is not easily visible behind the altar.

As for the Tomb of Yorimasa's Head, you'll no doubt be on your best behavior in order to avoid the curse. I suppose I should add to watch out for snakes. Also be aware that the site is immediately adjacent to a school, so if there are kids out in the yard for PE, be respectful by not distracting or photographing them, or otherwise causing a ruckus.

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html

(yokai) Nue (鵺)
Site: Kose-Jizo Hall (古世地蔵堂), aka the Arrowhead Jizo Hall (矢ノ根地蔵堂)
Nearest Station: (JR Line) Kameoka Stn. (亀岡駅)
Google Map Search: "古世地蔵堂"

Thursday, December 17, 2015

9. Yokai Tourbus has a Facebook page?

Hello Boils and Ghouls! Gragma here!

In what may be an overly ambitious move, I have created for myself (currently on zero "likes," so it really is for myself) a Yokai Tourbus Facebook page. It will be just the thing for those of you who would like to chat and share goulish odds and ends with this humble driver between blog posts. It will also be a handy way for me give everybody (currently nobody) updates, and also prove that your faithful driver has not departed this world for the next.

Now I don't want you all to rush, but you can find me here. Mind the step.

https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

As the can see, there are plenty of seats left! Come and catch a ride with me soon!

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)

Friday, December 11, 2015

ix. The Arrow Bamboo Grove (矢竹藪) of Chomei-ji (長明寺) or "Live Nue" Part 3

Location: Nishiwaki City (near Nishiwakishi Stn., JR Line), Hyogo Prefecture; about 1 hour 45 min. from Osaka, 1 hour 20 min. from Kobe, or about 1 hour 5 min. from Himeji + 20 min. walking time

Associated with: Nue aka "the Japanese chimera"

You'll recall from our previous installment that we have a nue on the loose, terrorizing the capital each night from the sky. Directly below it in the Seiryo-den of the imperial palace we have Emperor Konoe, a frazzled and sick teenage ruler. Finally it's time for our hero to make his entrance.

The warrior Minamoto no Yorimasa was the great-great-grandson of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, aka Commander Raiko. This is the same Commander Raiko who led the demon-slaying party at the Mt. Oe massacre, and who also beheaded the dreaded Tsuchigumo. It is perhaps no coincidence that Yorimasa had yokai "extermination" in his blood.

As per the tale, you'll recall that Yorimasa dealt with the nue by shooting an arrow into the dark circling clouds, out of which the screaming nue fell. Now, I'm not looking to ruin the tale for anybody, but doesn't the imagery of a warrior firing his arrow into a swirling vortex seem a bit... phallic? I realize that something longer than it is wide needn't always be a penis, but seriously, I think this is an idea that needs exploring. Let me tell you why I think so.

You see there are, I kid you not, no fewer than three sites connected to the construction of what is possibly the most elaborately made arrow in history. The tip of Yorimasa's arrow was an heirloom from his great-great-grandfather Minamoto no Yorimitsu. The shaft of the arrow came from Yorimasa's fief. Finally, the fletchings were made from the tail feathers of a mountain pheasant, done at the command of Jizo, who appeared to Yorimasa in a dream. You'll agree that is a pretty potent arrow.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

Putting all that to one side for now though, let's begin with the site where Yorimasa is said to have acquired the shaft of his arrow. The reason I'm starting with this site is because it's in Hyogo Prefecture and quite a distance from Kyoto. Though the tip of the arrow and the fletchings are a different matter, it would have been impractical for Yorimasa to travel so far to harvest a bamboo shaft once the threat of the nue had become known. Likely he had some with him or had access to some when he was already in the capital (otherwise he would have kept Emperor Konoe waiting a very long time). The point is we have a site whose partial claim to fame is that it is the source of the bamboo used to make the shaft of the arrow that was fired by Yorimasa into the whirling vortex, wounding the nue. I had you at "partial," right?

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

Though it seems like rather an obscure thing to boast of, Chomei-ji Temple in Nishiwaki claims that the bamboo was harvested in the surrounding area. The temple has doubled down on this claim with the commissioning of the Nuetaiji-zo (鵺退治像), a statue of Yorimasa aiming his arrow at a ferocious-looking nue. The statue is actually pretty fantastic, but of note is that the artist avoided depicting the flying nue and simply had it face off with Yorimasa on the ground. The warrior is drawing his arrow at point-blank range for a shot that I think I could probably make.

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

Just south of Chomei-ji is the Nuenobashi (lit. "Nue-field Bridge"), next to which are the remnants of a bamboo grove known as the yatakeyabu, or "arrow bamboo grove," from which the shaft of the arrow that shot the nue was taken. Next to that stands a Hachiman shrine (Hachiman being the god of archery and war, and the guardian deity of the Minamoto clan).

Photo Credit: Gragma's Yokai Tourbus

This once being Yorimasa's fief, there are a few other things in the area related to the man, um, like his grave? At least that's how the monument nearby is labeled. Yorimasa has a much better known grave in a very famous temple in Kyoto (that we'll get to later), and judging from the lack of general coverage that Chomei-ji gets, I wonder if the grave here perhaps doesn't contain any remains but is just a kind of cenotaph or memorial marker. Also nearby is the grave (or perhaps "grave") or Ayame Gozen, Yorimasa's concubine.

Comments: This is the first location I've done a write-up on that I would consider "remote," and I'm not sure I can justify the length of the journey to any other than hardcore yokai fans. The area does have historical significance as Yorimasa's old fief, and the statue of him and the nue is a real treat. If you were feeling extra ambitious, you could try squeezing it in on a trip to Himeji Castle. Chomei-ji is by no means on the way, but unfortunately by itself it is completely out of the way.

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Umeda Stn. Our destination is Nishiwakishi Stn. on the JR line.

Umeda Stn. lies next to Osaka Stn., a large hub of intersecting JR lines. From subway Umeda, follow the signs directing you to JR Osaka Stn. Unlike Umeda, there is only one "Osaka" station, but south there is another JR station called Kitashinchi. Though you'll likely find Osaka Stn. with your eyes closed, if you are following "JR" signs and you've been walking for longer than 5 minutes or so there is a small possibility you've made a wrong turn. I again want to point out that we're starting at subway Umeda Stn. to keep it in line with our Midosuji Line-centered travel, but if you are staying in the Osaka Stn. area or near a station on the Loop Line, you obviously needn't worry about the subway for this trip.

From Osaka, it is silly to take anything slower than a shinkaisoku, or special rapid service train. They usually depart every 10 or 15 minutes depending on the time of day, so if you've just missed one, buy a bagel or something and line up for the next service. Though we're going to stay on JR for the whole trip, we need to change lines at a station called Kakogawa, which is on the JR Kobe Line portion of the Sanyo Main Line. Here again we are simply talking about different sections of one long continuous line. What is known as the "JR Kobe Line" is part of the Tokaido Main Line from Osaka to Kobe and part of the Sanyo Main Line from Kobe to Himeji. Again, it's all the same line.

On the shinkaisoku, Kakogawa is seven stops and approximately 50 minutes from Osaka. Don't be surprised if you find yourself standing the whole way, but know that at least you'll be making good time. Around Sannomiya or Kobe you might be able to get a seat.

At Kakogawa, you need to get off and change lines, but again, you don't need to leave the station. The name of the line branching north here is the Kakogawa Line, and as it suggests it starts from Kakogawa Stn. Providing you find the right platform you can get on a train and not worry about going in the wrong direction. Kakogawa, however, is one point where I recommend you move smartly if you haven't looked up the departure time before arriving. Trains leave around every 30 minutes here, and one of the services stops short of Nishiwakishi. If your timing is off you could find yourself waiting for the better part of an hour for a train to take you all the way. Keep in mind that the trip itself from Kakogawa to Nishiwakishi is about 50 minutes, so this is something to plan ahead if you can.

At this point, I would like to introduce you to a website called Hyperdia, where you can input your starting point and destination (stations) in English and have the whole trip planned for you:

http://www.hyperdia.com/en/

I use another Japanese site for my trips, but only because I had already used it for several years before I found out about Hyperdia. I have used Hyperdia for putting together itineraries for English-speaking friends and it works just as well. It is a bit picky about how you input the names of the stations, but it has a nice auto-complete function to help you get the romanization of the stations correct. However, I do recommend you play around with Hyperdia a bit before you actually plan a trip with it. Like the Japanese sites, it will assume you want to go from A to B as quickly as possible, which is nice but it can be annoying to have domestic flights, shuttle buses and other unwanted results pop up in your search. In the main screen, click on the "more options" tab and deselect some of the boxes that will clutter up your results. For a basic search, I usually just have "walk," "local train" (by this they mean "ordinary train" not a train that stops at every station), "Japan Railway" and "Private Railway" selected.

Getting Your Bearings at Nishiwakishi Station

At Nishiwakishi Stn. there is only one exit. As you come out you'll see a rotary for buses and taxis. From there, follow the map below:

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Here is the first half of the route to the first bridge:

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Here is the second half of the route:

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Here's the final approach. Note that "Takumatsucho" (or Takamatsu-cho) just refers to the municipal designation. The grounds of Chomei-ji are at the right of the map.

Image/Map courtesy of Google Maps

Information on Chomei-ji

I have Chomei-ji opening at 9:00 and closing at 17:00, but I would aim to get there for 15:00 at the latest with the assumption that things will be winding down around 16:00. If coming from Himeji, aim to leave at 13:00 or earlier.

Be sure to check out the follow-up entry for more information on the site:
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2016/11/xxvii-follow-up-report-on-chomei-ji-or.html

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Hyogo)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-b-master-list-hyogo.html

(yokai) Nue (鵺)
Site: Chomei-ji (長明時)
Nearest Station: (JR Line) Nishiwakishi Stn. (西脇市駅)
Google Map Search: "Chomei-ji Nishiwaki"

Monday, November 23, 2015

viii. The Kyoto Imperial Palace or Kyoto Gosho (京都御所) or "Live Nue" Part 2

Location: Kamigyo Ward (near subway Imadegawa Stn. in the north or subway Marutamachi Stn. in the south), Kyoto City; about 50 min. from Osaka or about 10 min. from Kyoto + 2 min. walking time

Associated with: Nue aka "the Japanese chimera"

Let's briefly go back to the tale. As per the last entry, the nue began appearing in the Kyoto night sky. Perhaps one of the reasons why it vexed Emperor Konoe so much was because it appeared directly above the Seiryo-den, the building within the palace grounds in which the emperor slept. In other words, Emperor Konoe had a nue just outside his bedroom window. Now, there is still a building called the Seiryo-den within the grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, but it's not the same structure. In fact, it's not even the same palace.

Using our previous entry on Rashomon, find it on a map and put your finger or cursor on the site. This used to be the point marking halfway between east and west on the southern border of the old capital. That means if you move your finger or cursor north along from Rashomon, you should hit the imperial palace. What you'll find is that you pass Nijo Castle on your right and the palace itself further to the east. The reason is that 1153 puts us back to the time of the original Heian Palace, which was located center along the north border of the original layout. However, within around only 50 years of Konoe's reign, many fires led to the Heian Palace's gradual dissue, and sadly it no longer exists. (To give you an idea of its original location, the southeast corner of the palace's outer wall is thought to have been in the center of present-day Nijo Castle.)

What is then the connection with the current imperial palace? Well for one, it will give you an idea of what things may have looked like when you're standing in the middle of the children's playground I'm going to send you to later. As for scope, the area of the current imperial palace is a little shorter east to west, but about the same north to south. Also, on its grounds within the inner palace is a building called the Seiryo-den, which served much the same function as the Seiryo-den of the original palace. What's more, the most recent restoration has been done in the style of the emperor's residence during the Heian Period, so you can see for yourself what it must have been like for poor Emperor Konoe. Unfortunately, one does not simply walk into the Seiryo-den, but it is possible to get a look at it on a guided tour.

Comments: The Kyoto Imperial Palace will give you a feel of the setting of Emperor Konoe's surroundings in 1153. Don't be too put off that it's under the wrong bit of sky. After all, it is still the Kyoto Imperial Palace, a location with a long history of its own!

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Umeda Stn. Our destination is (Kyoto) subway Imadegawa Stn.

Getting Your Bearings at Imadegawa Station

At Imadegawa Stn., go out at Exit 6. There are many gates along the border of the Kyoto Imperial Park, which is the outer wall of the palace grounds. The route below will get you to the entrance closest to the Imperial Household Agency Office, which is where you need to check in for a guided tour.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Thanks to the magic of MS Paint, the Imperial Household Agency Office is indicated via the red arrow below.

Image courtesy of Google Maps

The Kyoto Imperial Palace is to the east of the Imperial Household Agency Office.

Image courtesy of Google Maps

The Seiryo-den is located in the southern portion of the palace.

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Information on the Kyoto Imperial Palace or Kyoto Gosho

The Kyoto Imperial Palace is located within the grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Park, or Kyoto Gyoen (京都御苑). The Seiryo-den, inside which Emperor Konoe cowered and above which the nue glowered, is located within the Kyoto Imperial Palace. It is a building inside a rectangle inside a rectangle. Anybody can enter the Imperial Park, but to get into the palace, you almost always need to book yourself onto a guided tour arranged by the Imperial Household Agency. This can be done online, but you can often join a group on the day by registering yourself at the Agency Office on the park grounds with your passport.

The Imperial Agency Office is open from Monday to Friday from 8:45 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00. Sundays and national holidays are unavailable for tours, as is December 29 to January 3. Saturdays are usually out too, except during the months of March, April, May, October, and November. National holidays in Japan sometimes fall on a Saturday, but when they fall on a Saturday during any of the above months, tours are conducted as usual. English tours are conducted at 10:00 and 14:00.

Getting into the Kyoto Imperial Palace sounds like a major pain in the backside compared to any other sites you would care to visit, but practically speaking you can usually get in on the same day, so don't let the rigmarole put you off if you are interested in going. Entrance is free, baby!

Finally, it's worth again pointing out that the Imperial Agency Office is located in the north end of the park grounds, as is the entrance to the Imperial Palace. Unless you don't mind the walk, accessing it via Imadegawa Stn. is advised.

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html

(yokai) Nue (鵺)
Site: The Kyoto Imperial Palace, or Kyoto Gosho (京都御所)
Nearest Station: (Subway Line) Imadegawa Stn. (今出川駅) in the north (recommended) or subway Marutamachi Stn. (丸太町) in the south (possible)
Google Map Search: "Kyoto Imperial Palace"

Friday, November 13, 2015

vii. Daishogun Shrine (大将軍神社) or "Live Nue" Part 1

Location: Higashiyama Ward (near Sanjo Stn., Keihan Line; and between subway stations Sanjo-Keihan Stn. and Higashiyama Stn.), Kyoto City; about 50 min. from Osaka or about 15 min. from Kyoto + 5 min. walking time

Associated with: Nue aka "the Japanese chimera"

I'm very excited to be introducing some standard yokai fare with a series of posts on the nue, following the famous Kyoto incident of 1153. Readers familiar with the tale know that it begins with the nue being alive, and ends with it being dead. I'm planning several entries, perhaps as many as ten, so I have decided to break them into two categories: "live nue" sites and "dead nue" sites. There are about the same number of each, give or take.

Let's get the tale out of the way.

In 1153, a foreboding creature enveloped in an ominous dark cloud began appearing in the Kyoto night sky, terrifying the citizens. The young Emperor Konoe became subject to its evil presence and fell ill, suffering terrible nightmares. Imperial orders were given to Minamoto no Yorimasa to deal with the creature, which had the head of a monkey, the tail of a snake (or a snake for a tail), possibly the body of a tanuki, and the limbs of a tiger. The creature's voice was like that of the nue bird (either White's thrush or scaly thrush, neither sound pleasant). Yorimasa, renowned for his skill as an archer, fired an arrow into the clouds above the imperial palace. There was a terrible cry as the master archer's arrow struck home, and the monster fell wounded to the ground. Yorimasa's accompanying retainer I no Hayata rushed to where the injured creature had fallen and finished the job. The emperor immediately recovered from his illness, and Yorimasa was rewarded.

I'd like to begin the whole nue fiasco with the origin of the creature. Several sources list its habitat as either "storm clouds" or unknown. However, we do have some evidence that the nue is a forest-dwelling creature, albeit an evil one. The aforementioned dark clouds were said to have appeared out of the forest of Higashi-Sanjo. (I've also seen it written as To-Sanjo, with to being the alternative reading of the same Chinese character.) This is an area to the east of the Sanjo-Ohashi Bridge in Kyoto, where once a dense forest stood that was thought to be the habitat of the nue. It was also known simply as the "Nue Forest."

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1852 (Source: Museum of Fine Arts, https://www.mfa.org/ via http://ukiyo-e.org)

Unfortunately, the forest no longer exists. However, a remnant of it, a single tree, is said to still grow on the grounds of Daishogun Shrine. The specimen is an 800 year-old ginkgo tree, and while it doesn't quite take us all the way back to 1153, it undoubtedly would have shared its surroundings in times past with the trees of the forest that were there. The old surviving ginkgo is now a sacred tree of the shrine. Daishogun Shrine, though built for a different purpose, does acknowledge that the habitat of the mysterious creature once stood behind it, and references to the nue can be found on the grounds.

Comments: Sanjo still has us around the picturesque Higashiyama area, and as I've mentioned in previous posts, this stretch of Kyoto is an essential part of any itinerary. Daishogun Shrine is very accessible from Sanjo Stn., but if you have already been afoot in the general area visiting other sites, there is a good chance you will be approaching the shrine from the east.

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Yodoyabashi Stn. Our destination is Sanjo Stn. on the Keihan Line.

Subway Yodoyabashi Stn. is one stop south of Umeda. At the north end of subway Yodoyabashi Stn. you'll find the Keihan Line. From Yodoyabashi, the Keihan Main Line runs all the way into Kyoto. To get to Sanjo, you can jump on the fastest service there is: the Limited Express. If your hotel is in the Kyobashi area or anywhere near Osaka Castle Park, then I recommend you make your way to Kyobashi and commence your journey from Kyobashi Stn. (Keihan Line).

From JR Kyoto Stn. you can take the JR Nara line and go one stop to Tofukuji, where there is an adjacent Keihan station. You can also walk from Kyoto Stn. to Shichijo Stn. in about 15 minutes and take the train three stops up from there.

Sanjo is also on the subway network, so you can access it from there too. The name of the subway station there is called Sanjo-Keihan, which is a little confusing (as it neighbors Sanjo Stn. on the Keihan Line).

Getting Your Bearings at Sanjo Station

As you come out of the ticket gates at Sanjo Stn., you will find yourself underground. Instead of going straight up to the street level, follow the signs to subway Keihan-Sanjo Stn. and continue underground until you are in that station (near the ticket machines, ticket gates, etc.). Follow the signs for Exit 2 and come out there. This will put you on a large road called Sanjo-Dori. If you've taken the stairs to exit, you'll be facing north and will need to turn right on Sanjo-Dori. If you take the elevator to exit, you'll come out facing west with the stairs on your left and you will need to turn around 180 degrees so that you are facing the correct direction (east). From there it's an easy walk to the shrine. Please see the map below.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

You'll notice that the exit is marked as Exit 3 on the map. I am not sure why that is, but Keihan-Sanjo Stn. has it labeled as Exit 2, and that's what I've gone with. To help you get your bearings, here is a street view of that station exit.

Image courtesy of Google Maps

As for the shrine itself, if you follow the map, you should begin to see the shrine grounds on your left before you come to the entrance.

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html

(yokai) Nue (鵺)
Site: Daishogun Shrine (大将軍神社)
Nearest Station: (Keihan Line) Sanjo Stn. (三条駅), though technically subway Keihan-Sanjo Stn. (京阪三条駅) is closer.
Google Map Search: "Daishogun Shrine Higashiyama"

Sunday, November 1, 2015

8. Post Round-up for November 2015

Saturday, October 31, 2015

7. Host Post, Halloween 2015

Hello Boils and Ghouls! Gragma here!

I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk to you directly and let you know what's been going on at the blog. As I type, it has had less than fifty views, so if you're reading this in 2015, thank you and kansha! More likely you'll be reading this after going through later posts (assuming the blog hasn't died in the meantime).

Firstly, some notes on navigating the blog. It has two main types of posts. There are general information posts like this one, which are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on. The most important of these posts are the Master Lists per region. They contain enough basic information that with the help of a mapping site such as Google Maps you should be able to locate the places on your own. You'll notice that the basic entries on each list are not alphabetical. Rather I've listed them geographically from north to south. In the case of Hyogo they are listed east to west to follow the main stretch of train line.

The second type of post are the more fleshed-out entries that contain additional information, directions and maps. These are numbered using Roman numerals. You may find the choices so far rather obscure and I am deeply sorry for the lack of kappas. What I have been doing, and generally speaking what I will continue to do, is prioritize sites that won't or don't easily come up in a map search. For the majority of basic entries in the Master List posts, you'll be able to plot your trips with minimum effort. Though the idea is to flesh out all the list entries, unfortunately I'm restricted by time, so please refer to the Master Lists for updates as they will be more frequent and the haunts will appear there first. I've just done a bunch and they will be up soon.

Some notes on the directions. You'll notice that each fleshed-out entry gives directions from the subway Midosuji Line in Osaka. Please see one of my earliest posts to understand why I'm doing it this way.

http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/4-midosuji-train-line.html

You'll likely find this system of directions tiresome if you're not based in Osaka. I am trying to include extra notes on navigating from local hubs.

One thing I haven't addressed are the train network maps at the stations. In theory they are a great idea. You find the station that is your destination on the network map, and near it is the fare you need to pay from the station you are currently at. Unfortunately, many maps have the entire region mapped out on them, and it can take a while to find your station if you're not familiar with the layout.

Here's a tip. You do not need to have the exact fare when you get on a train. If you're anxious to get to the platform and be on your way, you can buy the cheapest ticket and that will get you into the station. When you arrive at your destination, there will be something called a fare adjustment machine near the gate. Slip your ticket into it and it will tell you what the difference to pay is.

Finally, let me say a word on the layout and style of the site. You may have noticed that there are no detailed reviews, photos, pictures of yokai, and other pleasing visuals that would help make the blog more impressive. Though I can't deny this saves me a LOT of time, the fact is from the beginning I never planned to include any of it. If you're visiting this blog, I'm assuming you've already read up on yokai online, have perhaps seen the Toriyama Sekien prints and some of the other artwork, and maybe read a bit of Mizuki Shigeru.

While Gragma's Yokai Tourbus might provide you a new scrap of info here and there, my priority is not to educate people about the yokai themselves but to help guide them to their haunts. The problem I have is that it's not always obvious how a haunt ties in with a certain yokai, and it's often the case that some background information or tale needs to be told in order for it to make sense. For a legend or tale in which several accounts exist, I have no problem cherry picking the accounts or details most relevant to the haunt in question. Most of the time this involves leaving out accounts from other parts of Japan. Sorry Tokyo!

Again, I would be very happy to take requests, especially if you have a trip planned. Feedback is also welcome!

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

vi. Minatoya's Child-Rearing Ghost Candy Shop, or "みなとや幽霊子育飴本舗" (みなとやゆうれいこそだてあめほんぽ)

Location: Higashiyama Ward (near Kiyomizu-Gojo Stn., Keihan Line), Kyoto City; about 60 min. from Osaka or about 10-15 min. from Kyoto + 8 min. walking time

Associated with: A type of yurei known as a child-rearing ghost

There are many graveyards in the vicinity of Higashiyama, but not far from Rokudo Chinno-ji temple there is a confectionery store that has stood for centuries. Sometime in 1599, a woman began to appear each night to buy candy. After a time the shop owner suspected something was amiss when he discovered leaves in the coin box (an old shapeshifter trick). Thinking a fox may be duping him, he decided to follow the woman. Her moonlit form led him through the alleys and into a graveyard, where he lost sight of her. He was just about to leave when he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. Amidst the decaying corpses was a newborn baby; it's tiny writhing form lying alongside the body of a recently deceased woman. Dumbfounded, he took the baby home to raise him, and the ghostly woman never appeared again. The supernatural tale of the mother keeping her child alive spread and the shop's wares became known as "child-rearing ghost candy" (as in, the candy of ghosts who raise children).

That's weird enough, but the candy has a rep for being lucky if you're seeking a promotion. It just so happens that the baby grew up to be a great Buddhist monk. I suppose going from a baby left for dead to adopted son of a candy shop owner to a great monk is a promotion of sorts.

Comments: This stretch along the Higashiyama Mountain Range is a must-see for anybody who has even one day in Kyoto, and the area here east of Kiyomizu-Gojo Stn. is in the thick of some of the best sites to be had. The granddaddy of them all is of course Kiyomizudera, and Minatoya's Child-Rearing Ghost Candy Shop is a relatively minor detour on the way to or from the temple.

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Yodoyabashi Stn. Our destination is Kiyomizu-Gojo Stn. on the Keihan Line.

Subway Yodoyabashi Stn. is one stop south of Umeda. At the north end of subway Yodoyabashi Stn. you'll find the Keihan Line. From Yodoyabashi, the Keihan Main Line runs all the way into Kyoto. To get to Kiyomizu-Gojo, you can jump on the fastest service there is: the Limited Express. If your hotel is in the Kyobashi area or anywhere near Osaka Castle Park, then I recommend you make your way to Kyobashi and commence your journey from Kyobashi Stn. (Keihan Line).

Getting Your Bearings at Kiyomizu-Gojo Station

At Kiyomizu-Gojo, come out at Exit 5. This will have you facing north. Walk along in the same direction and take the first right, following the map below. Note that the main drag to Kiyomizudera is better accessed from Exit 4.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Information on Minatoya's Child-Rearing Ghost Candy Shop

The shop is open from 10:00 until 16:00, closed on Mondays unless Monday is a national holiday, in which case the shop will close on the following weekday. Keep in mind that sometimes Japan has national holidays strung together, so if it happens that Monday and Tuesday are national holidays, then the shop would close on Wednesday (for example).

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html

(yurei) Child-Rearing Ghost or Kosodate-Yurei (子育て幽霊)
Site: Minatoya's Child-Rearing Ghost Candy Shop (みなとや幽霊子育飴本舗)
Nearest Station: (Keihan Line) Kiyomizu-Gojo Stn. (清水五条駅)
Google Map Search: "みなとや幽霊子育飴本舗" <-- A search for the Japanese will bring up the location.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

v. Mimizuka, or "Ear Mound" (耳塚), also known as Hanazuka ("Nose Mound" or 鼻塚)

Location: Higashiyama Ward (near Shichijo Stn., Keihan Line), Kyoto City; about 50 min. from Osaka or about 10 min. from Kyoto + under 10 min. walking time

Associated with: General historical macabre; Japan's 1592-1598 invasion of Korea

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a great man: a leader, a unifier, a builder and a restorer, and a bloke who liked to cart around a gold room to conduct his tea ceremony in. Had he lived out his later years being the go-to samurai for an expertly brewed cuppa, we'd have remembered him only for his achievements and for his prowess with the tea cup. Instead, he doubled down on his glory and ended his days on a bit of a mean streak.

So what is the Mimizuka? Well mimi is Japanese for ear and tsuka (becomes zuka as the second part of the word here) means mound. The original name for it is Hanazuka, and unfortunately hana in this case does not mean flower (which would be delightful) but nose, as in, the noses of approximately 38,000 Koreans. Mimizuka, what was once known as the "Nose Mound," is in fact a big mound of noses.

Following the logic, the noses were once attached to Koreans, who had them lopped off by the Japanese as war trophies during Japan's invasion of Korea in the late 16th century. It's not that the Japanese had a fetish for noses, but that a method was required by which the number of dead could be tallied and the dispensers compensated. The traditional way was to bring back the heads for counting, but this became impractical with the high number of casualties. Not all were soldiers. Hideyoshi was specific in his instruction: mow down anyone regardless of age, gender, status or rank.

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, 1866 (Source: Hara Shobo, http://www.harashobo.com/ via http://ukiyo-e.org)

It's not clear what frame of mind he was in when he had the noses entombed with Buddhist priests on hand to pray for the repose of the souls of the people to whom the noses were once attached. The following year Hideyoshi himself died, and in the subsequent decades the crass-sounding "Nose Mound" was changed to the (supposedly) less cruel-sounding "Ear Mound."

Suggested Route: For the entry in the Master List (Kyoto) post I included simple directions from Toyokuni Shrine. Mimizuka is actually closer to Shichijo Stn., so I'll include maps with both a direct route and the original route via Toyokuni Shrine.

Toyokuni Shrine? Is that worth visiting? Well, it is in fact the official tomb and shrine of the nose-mounding Hideyoshi himself! You can decide whether its worth paying your respects. As I may not get around to a dedicated entry on him, I'll list up his crueler exploits here:

- Hideyoshi expelled 26 Christians from Kyoto, sending them on their way by first having their ears cut off (What is it with this guy?) before marching them to Nagasaki, where they were crucified. Amongst the now famous martyrs were three young boys aged 12, 13 and 14.
- He had tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu commit ritual suicide, then displayed his head on a bridge.
- After both his young son and his brother died in 1591, he appointed his nephew as heir the following year. But in 1593 when his second son was born, he exiled his nephew to Mt. Koya and ordered him to commit suicide. When those of his nephew's family did not follow him into the afterlife, they were murdered in Kyoto. This included 31 women and several children.
- He executed Ishikawa Goemon, sometimes referred to as Japan's Robin Hood, by boiling him and his young son alive in oil.
- He had two thumbs on his right hand and apparently decided to keep the extra instead of cutting it off. You're welcome. (Not a cruel exploit, just FYI.)

Comments: This stretch along the Higashiyama Mountain Range is a must-see for anybody who has even one day in Kyoto. If you make your way north from Shichijo, you will encounter sites that you will remember for the rest of your life. However, you are going to run out of time if you linger too long at Toyokuni Shrine, so I recommend going if you are interested and not already "shrined out," but get a move on if you have a big day ahead of you.

Getting There

The starting point on the Midosuji subway line is Yodoyabashi Stn. Our destination is Shichijo Stn. on the Keihan Line.

Subway Yodoyabashi Stn. Is one stop south of Umeda. Godzilla flooded it in the not well-remembered scene from the not well-remembered Godzilla sequel Godzilla Raids Again. At the north end of subway Yodoyabashi Stn. is a new train line for us: the Keihan Line. From Yodoyabashi, the Keihan Main Line runs all the way into Kyoto. Though JR Kyoto Stn. is a large hub for buses and other lines, shooting into Kyoto from Yodoyabashi can be convenient as the last stretch of the Main Line is along the Higashiyama district. To get to Shichijo, you can jump on the Limited Express, which is the fastest service Keihan operates. Despite its exclusiveness, it will stop at every station until you get to Kyobashi, but after that you're good to go. If your hotel is in the Kyobashi area or anywhere near Osaka Castle Park, then I recommend you make your way to Kyobashi and commence your journey from there.

I haven't really travelled to Higashiyama from JR Kyoto Stn., but Shichijo Stn. is close enough to walk to in about 15 minutes. If you're with a group, a taxi from JR Kyoto Stn. also wouldn't be a terrible way to get there. It's detouring slightly, but you can also take the JR Nara line and go one stop to Tofukuji, where there is an adjacent Keihan station that will take you one stop north to Shichijo.

Getting Your Bearings at Shichijo Station

At Shichijo, come out at Exit 4. You should find yourself on the northeast corner of a large intersection. To your right will be a bridge and the Kamo River. In front of you and across the street you should see a McDonald's. Keep in mind that stores close down, including McDonald's, but this one has been there in the 15 or so years I've been coming to Kyoto. Anyway, as you come out of Exit 4 you'll be facing south. Turn left (to the east) at the intersection and follow the map below. This route will take you to Mimizuka via Toyokuni Shrine as per the directions in the Master List (Kyoto) entry.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

To go straight to Mimizuka as quickly as possible, instead of Exit 4 go out Exit 6. This will have you exiting north. Walk along in the same direction and turn right at the first set of lights. Mimizuka will be a ways down the street on your right. If you find the road has ended in a t-junction (at Toyokuni Shrine in fact) it means you've walked passed Mimizuka and need to backtrack.

Map courtesy of Google Maps

Image courtesy of Google Maps

Information on Toyokuni Shrine

The shrine is open from 9:00 until 16:00 or 16:30. (I've seen both times quoted, so perhaps go earlier if you can.) Apparently there are no toilets, which is a bit sad.

Driver Gragma (yokaitourbus "at" mail "dot" com)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yokaitourbus/

The Master List (Kyoto)
http://yokaitourbus.blogspot.jp/2015/08/6-c-master-list-kyoto.html

(historical) Japanese Invasion of Korea (1592-98)
Site: The Ear Mound, or "Mimizuka" (耳塚); originally known as The Nose Mound, or "Hanazuka" (鼻塚)
Nearest Station: (Keihan Line) Shichijo Stn. (七条駅)
Google Map Search: "Toyokuni Shrine Kyoto" <-- Not where the mound is exactly.