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Ancient Japanese cemeteries (墓, ohaka) - Japan Photo Tour Power Spots

Oct 19, 2023 | By: Blain Harasymiw Photography

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Recently I was inspired to write this newsletter/short article by visual artists/photographers Olivier Nelis and Ånne-Mårìe’ social media post; they are clients who will join my annual winter Hokkaido photo tour.  Olivier and Ann-Marie visited Japan during the summer, and they visited Japan properly, as their itinerary included visiting dozens of must see spots throughout Japan.  One of their stops was at Japan’s largest Cemetery “Okunoin Cemetery Koya-san,” a power spot where hundreds of thousands of souls are resting.  We don’t know the exact number of souls as this cemetery is over 1,200 years old.  It has been a few years since I have visited Koya-San Buddhist Complex Sanctuary, but I plan on visiting again next year or the year after.  

Ancient Kofun burial ground. Today it is known as ancient Buddhist cemetery, and not as a Kofun site, locals call this location a place of mystery where paranormal activity is reported? I took this image while leading a private autumn Japan photo tour.

A modern statue, but the grounds are an ancient Buddhist Sanctuary, and one of the largest ancient and modern cemeteries in the Mt. Fuji region. I took this image while leading my Mt. Fuji autumn photo tour.

Buddhist Sanctuary pond in the Mt. Fuji region. I took this image of a local praying/showing respect to the gods. I took this image while leading my annual Essence of Japan cross country photo tour.

During all Japan photo workshops I lead, we visit at least one or two ancient Buddhist and Shinto Power Spot Sanctuaries.  Many Buddhist and Shinto complexes have ancient cemeteries.  During photo workshops, I try and avoid modern ones, but in Japan that can sometimes be difficult, as ancient rural cemeteries continue to grow, but the majority we visit are ancient.  Some are so ancient, they date back to the Jōmon period over ten thousand years ago, and others are from the Kofun period (300 to 538 AD).  Across Japan, there are over one hundred and sixty thousand Kofun period villages and burial sites, and this does not include the Jōmon sights which number in the tens of thousands. 

Zen Buddhist place of worship Japan. I took this image while taking up lodgings at a Zen temple with clients, I was leading an autumn in Japan private workshop. I don't openly share locations anymore due to tourist pollution.

Normal looking Shinto Shrine, but actually it's an ancient Kofun village she and burial ground. Many shrines were built over Kofun mounds and villages. I took this image while leading a private Japan photo tour.

Japan has some ancient cemeteries right outside of business and homes, some tried removing them, and then reported paranormal activity and mystery began, so they were put back.

Modern chiseled statues of Zen monks at an ancient Buddhist sanctuary int the Mt. Fuji region. I took this image while leading my annual essence of autumn photo tour.

Shinto Shrine these are a kind of fortune paper, if your picked fortune is good you take it home, if it's not you tie it up and pray for good fortune, later a Shinto Priest will remove them and burn them in a cleansing ceremony.

The most famous Kofun mound is the Moss Tombs (百舌鳥古墳群, Mozu kofungun), a group of Kofun mounds; 古墳)—megalithic tombs, in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Osaka Japan. This Kofun site is visited by millions of tourists annually, and is experiencing tourist pollution.  The caretaker of these burial mounds is the Japanese Imperial Family who only care for about a few dozen of the sights, and the majority have never been unearthed, and many are unmarked; some may have signs; there is an official map, but finding one is next to impossible.  And even more puzzling is this era's history is highly distorted.  In my opinion, it’s due to the Imperial family claiming they are direct descendants from the hierarchy of this period.   Even stranger or hard to understand is some Imperial treasures dating from Kofun mounds are so sacred that not even the current Japanese emperor may lay eyes on them, not even during Emperor Naruhito’s 2019 Imperial transition. WoW!  I bet you dollars to donuts if a DNA sample of the current Imperial family was done with the mummies found in Kofun burial mounds, they would not match. In some of the Kofun mounds, Roman coins have been found, along with high quality swords, knives and utensils of Mesopotamia origin.  Even Cuneiform language tablets have been found throughout Japan.  To date, over 3,000 tablets have been cataloged and these tablets can only be deciphered using the cuneiform language.  “Excuse me,” as an amateur historian it would take me a thousand pages to write about this topic of Japanese history in full, and even then I would be leaving something out; but this article is more about photography and visiting the most photogenic ancient cemeteries and power spots.

Huge rock with a carved face, under are caverns with dozens of ancient burial sites. I took this image in Yamanashi, while leading a private historical autumn in Japan photo tour workshop.

The all seeing eye hand carved about 6000 years ago, the cave is deep and has uncountable burials. Locals call it a place of deep mystery, close by are a Buddhist and Shinto Sanctuaries. This Kofun burial site is 10 min from my home.

Kofun era carvings can be found throughout Japan, but most not even locals know their true origin. I took this image while leading an OceanScape photo tour last summer, I will visit this spot again this late autumn.

Annually, I lead a historical photo workshop, the main focus is on ancient Shinto and Buddhist sanctuaries and takes place in Nikko and Mt. Fuji photo tour.  Nikko is an amazing spot and is the resting place of the Shoguns of the Tokugawa Shogunate, plus there are ancient cemeteries where no tourists visit.  The Nikko World Heritage Site is on the beaten path, and is experiencing tourist pollution, but I know Nikko like the back of my hand, and I know tourist traffic in the region and how to avoid the rush.  For all photo tours I lead, I take participants to the most Photogenic Mesmerizingly Culturally Rich Zen Inspiring Power Spots.  Nikko is not only about the temples, it’s also about nature, and during this photo workshop we go from busy temples and shrines to the world of Zen, such as Kegon Falls, then onto smaller waterfalls, lakes and rivers where it’s so secluded and peaceful that it’s possible to spot people fly fishing, and this is only 30 minutes away from Nikko’s Toshogu Shrine.  Here you will follow in the footsteps of Zen Masters, Shoguns, Samurai, and Pilgrims going for Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing).  In Japan, medical doctors actually prescribe time off to patients with high extra high stress levels, where they must book into resorts where they will experience nature and natural forest healing.

Nikko Toshogu Shrine UNESCO World Heritage Site is arguable the most lavishly built Samurai architecture throughout Japan. I took this image while leading a Nikko Mt. Fuji photography historical workshop tour.

One of the most sacred rooms in Nikko prayer sanctuary exclusively for Tokugawa Ieyasu, The Shogun.

Toshogu Shrine is on the beaten path, but just minutes away there is Zen calm and fly fishing. I took this image while leading a private photo tour of Nikko and Mt. Fuji.

The Nikko region is truly unique, just 20 minutes from the crowds one can experience fly fishing and Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing). But you have to know the region...

Nikko off the beaten path has dozens of samurai era spots to visit, where one can experience Zen Calm and Shinrin-Yoku.... I took this image while leading a Nikko photo tour.

Foggy rainy day 30 min from the tourist crowds in Nikko. I love my job, as much as I love Shinrin Yoku. I took this image while leading a Nikko Mt. Fuji photo workshop tour.

Sacred Mt. Fuji has been worshiped over for thousands of years, and is especially lovely in spring, but the main tourist regions about 15% of the region is experiencing tourist pollution. But I usually don't visit these spots to avoid the crowds.

Next year, I may offer a photo tour that is exclusively all about ancient power spots, symbology, history where we will visit ancient cemeteries, Buddhist and Shinto Complex Sanctuaries and Kofun burial mounds plus much more.  Annually, I lead about a half a dozen private photo workshops that are exclusively just the sort I may offer next year, but for the first time in a group photo tour setting.

 

Join me in Nikko or other in other Power Spots in 2024
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