Sacred Places
In Murakami city, there are many sacred temples and shrines where many people worship.
Visiting those places will let you cleanse your soul and make your trip wonderful.
Temples and shrines
Daihizan Kannonji Temple and Bukkai Shonin
Daihizan Kannonji Temple in central Murakami is the final resting place of Bukkai Shonin, Japan’s last Buddhist mummy or sokushinbutsu.
Bukkai Shonin was born as Kondo Shojiro in 1828. He devoted himself to ascetic practice from the age of 16, when he became an apprentice at a Shingon temple on Mt. Yudono in Yamagata Prefecture, north of Murakami. Mt. Yudono is a center of a branch of the esoteric Shingon faith that espouses the practice of aspiring to Buddhahood in this life without the need to wait for rebirth. A devotee who aspired to becoming a sokushinbutsu would be able to retain their physical form while awaiting the arrival of the bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya), who in Shingon doctrine is prophesied to bring about an enlightened world in the distant future.
Becoming a Buddha on earth included a process of self-mummification, which could take up to a decade to complete. Prospective sokushinbutsu would adopt an extremely strict diet to rid themselves of tissue prone to decomposition. They ate no grains or sources of fat and sustained themselves instead on wild plants, leaves, bark, and roots. In order to minimize the amount of fluid in their bodies, they drank only a poisonous tea made from lacquer sap that slowly coated their internal organs, acting as a preservative.
When they felt the time had come, the ascetics would be enclosed in a small stone casket. Sitting in the lotus position, they would enter a deep meditative state until their breathing stopped and their heart ceased to beat.
Bukkai took this final step in 1903, asking his followers to extract his body three years later. However, they were prevented from doing so by a law enacted in 1868 that made it illegal to disinter corpses. The law was part of a policy intended to discourage the sokushinbutsu practice. The mummy remained underground until 1961, when it was exhumed by a group of researchers.
The body of Bukkai Shonin, as well as the casket he was buried in, can be viewed at Daihizan Kannonji.
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Urushiyama Shrine and Myojin-iwa
Urushiyama shrine is worshiped by many people who are involved with Urushi (lacquer).
Myojin-iwa (rock) standing behind the shrine is the most northern sacred place in Niigata.
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Taki Shrine
It is at the mouth of Miomote river. There is a waterfall on the way and you can feel a sacred atmosphere.
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Shiogama Shrine
This shrine is located in the middle of Shioya village and many people come and worship this historical village.
In Shioya, turtles are treated as a servant of guardian god so there is a tradition to offer toys and snacks that are shaped like a turtle to the shrine.
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Senami-haguro Shrine
"Murakami Taisai",held on July 6th and on 7th is a festival of Senami-haguro Shrine. The main shrine is located on the top of the stairs and a large mask of Tengu (a Japanese long-nosed goblin) is enshrined inside.
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Nature
Sasagawa Nagare
Sasagawa Nagare is an eleven-kilometer stretch of coastline north of central Murakami that is popular among swimmers in summer. The area’s clear water and white beaches are in sharp contrast with its rugged natural beauty. This is a landscape of countless coves and inlets fed by mountain streams and brooks, sheer cliffs rising from the sea, and spiky rocks shaped by the waves. In many places, the outcrops are covered with squat pines and bushes bent into strange shapes by the incessant ocean winds.
Driving along the coastline on the winding National Road 345 is a good way to get an overview of the scenery. Another option is to board a 40-minute sightseeing cruise from Kuwagawa Port, where boats depart nine times daily between April and October, when the seas are comparatively calm. (Note that cruises are sometimes canceled due to strong winds.)
Winter brings frequent storms and raging waves, and the coves are sometimes filled with a froth of sea foam. The phenomenon occurs when cold seawater that contains a high concentration of organic matter, such as plankton or dissolved algae, crashes violently against the rocks.
On the culinary front, Sasagawa Nagare is noted for the rock oysters that thrive along its coast. During winter and spring, the oysters grow plump as they feed on nutrient-rich water released into the sea by streams and brooks. Another local product is natural salt, which is boiled down from seawater in small factories. The traditional process can be observed at a salt workshop on the shore.
Sunset
Murakami city has a long coastline so you can see a beautiful sunset setting in the Sea of Japan. There is a legend that people who saw the green flash at the moment of sunset will be happy.
Asahi Mountain Range
Asahi Mountain Range is the source of the clear streams flowing through Murakami. It is a part of Bandai-Asahi National Park and virgin forests are spread out.
Arakawa river
According to the river survey in 2003, it was selected as one of the cleanest Class A rivers. Many fishermen come to fish salmon in the high season from in and out of Murakami city.
Miomote river
It is well-known as a river where salmon come back after spending several years in the sea. When they come back in late Autumn, you can see the traditional fishing method,"Iguriami-ryo",using three river boats to catch salmon.
Other sacred places
Daiman-kokuzoson
This temple enshrines Daiman-kokuzoson Buddha that is said to give people wisdom and good luck. Festivals are held on April 13th and on October 23rd every year in Sarusawa where the temple is located.
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Hakogata-hachimangu-shaso
Hakogata-hachimangu-shrine is located on the top of Mt.Hakogata, a rocky mountain, which was originally formed by a volcanic eruption, and is surrounded by a virgin forest. There supposed to be a location that is thought to be flowing with mystical energy.
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Kuhonbutsu
Kuhonbutsu are stone Buddhas. There are nine of them and they were set at the important sites throughout the town in 1758 for the 150th anniversary of the death of the feudal lord to keep evil off the castle and the town.
Suzugataki fall
When you go into the beautiful beech trees, you will see Suzugataki fall with the height of 55 meters and width of 10 meters.
There is a creek and suspension bridge on the way so you feel refreshed when you walk through there.
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Kichijo Shimizu
People of Ogoto-village have long been drinking Kichijo Shimizu water springing from Kichijo mountain. Many people visit here to get this water from all over the place.
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