↑Photo without image processing.Around 6:00 p.m., you can take shrine shots like this one, where darkness greets you, anywhere. Once the sun goes down, it is time for spirits from there. By the way, Kounkaku closes at 20:00.
Long traffic jam near the dam during major holidays at Hsing-un Pavilion
I am a multi-location person living in Singapore and Japan. This time, I stayed overnight at Kounkaku for worship and prayer during GW. If you go to Mimine Shrine by private car during major holidays, the probability of not being able to go to the restroom for more than 2 hours increases considerably. If you are close to a restroom, take the bus. If you go by private car, you may need a portable toilet.
The dam is beautiful, though.
The driver announced in Japanese, “If you take a bus, it will take one and a half hours from here. If you take a bus, it will take an hour and a half from here, but if you get off here and climb the hill, you can get there in 20 minutes. Foreigners were getting off the bus after reading the situation. It might be a little tough for the elderly. This bus is half fare with a discount for the handicapped.
I stay at Kounkaku alone when I visit Japan temporarily. To be honest, I have yet to experience any benefits. I wonder what percentage of the total number of visitors are able to see the blessings?
The drop-off is at the bottom of the hill at a lower elevation than this abandoned school. I should have stopped by this abandoned school as well. Next time I get off the bus again, I will stop by here.
Aside from that, Kounkaku has two types of rooms: 6-mat and 10-mat. I found out on this visit that there is a rule behind the reservation. It seems that it would be a good idea to keep that in mind when considering lodging.
OKINOERABUJIMA6-mat and 10-mat rooms cost the same amount of money.
But the service and the size of the room are different.
Then 10 tatami is better.
KUCHINOSHIMAThe internet environment (DOCOMO) was poor on the 3rd floor of 6 tatami mats.
Sending photos by LINE was not possible. It was possible to send photos around the souvenir store and on the 5th floor. Online remote work is not available.
Reservation points for Kounkaku at Sambine Shrine
Single guests are more likely to be sent to 6-mat rooms.
Testimony of Kounkaku’s bow tie staff. So how can this be avoided?
kodakara jimaIf you call and make a reservation early, like a few weeks in advance, they will reserve a 10-mat room for you if there is a lot of space available at that time.
Even if the 10-mat rooms are not all occupied, they will be turned over to 6-mat rooms when 2 guests are expected to book at a time. It’s a matter of first come, first served.
Comparison of floor plans and services at Sambine Shrine and Kounkaku
The 6-mat room was inadequately cleaned, probably because there were few users.
The only thing that made the 6-mat room superior to the 10-mat room was that the ashtrays were strangely upscale.
Amenities are the same as in 10 tatami. Hot water was originally from a pot and was sufficient until the next morning.
The 10-mat room has futons laid out, but the 6-mat room is self-service.
According to google image search, this bug is said to inhabit private houses in summer and fall. I stayed at a house in the spring of GW. The carcass was on my futon. Wow.
The front door is slightly wider than the door width.
IraOn that day, 10 tatami rooms were fully occupied due to the GW season.
However, when I requested a room change in the evening when I found dead insects, I was told that a couple of guests had canceled on the same day, so I could move to the 10-mat room.
I checked in at 14:30. I had talked with the staff about the 10-mat room at that time, so they gave me a 10-mat room instead of another 6-mat room. It is a good thing to talk to people.
10 tatami mats
My last stay was also in a 10-mat room. Warm enough to not need heating even in winter. Good sunlight.
It was a day with a minimum temperature of 1 degree Celsius, but surprisingly, no winter outerwear was needed. The space is twice as large as a 6-mat desk, so there is plenty of room to eat and drink while writing.
Kounkaku Onsen
Not available from 8:00 a.m. for about 1 hour during cleaning. Prayers begin at 7:30 AM. Therefore, if you want to take a morning bath, it is safe to go at that time because the use of the bath starts at 5:00 am. Breakfast starts at 8:00 AM. I went before 6:00 a.m. and was the only one there, but after 6:00 a.m., four people showed up one after another. The hot springs here are not so moist for the skin. I have sensitive skin and it was dry. Bringing cream is recommended. There are two hair dryers here. You are not allowed to take them back to your room.
Nobody rests here.
Morning Prayer
Last time the precincts were still OK for photography, but this time it was prohibited.
Prayer offering starts from 5,000 yen. I paid 5000 yen. It’s about time for the blessings to come true in a tangible form. It’s been years since I’ve had a tangible wish come true.
Admission begins at 7:20. First-come, first-served basis to sit in the seat of your choice. The more to the right toward the shrine hall, the colder it is in the wind. It was tough in winter, seriously.
kodakara jimaHe said the 1st, 11th, and 21st are a little special prayer version.
The receptionist said.
Even on other days, there was a special version and in that case, it was extended for about 5 minutes.
There was nothing on the day of the big day of good luck, the day of a single grain of something. Normal version.
Photography from outside was allowed. It is not written in English but in katakana.
Taken at 6:00 in the morning. There were two worshippers; the number gradually increased after 7:00 a.m. By 8:00 a.m., there were already close to 100 people. GW on a weekday.
There were about a third of the guests staying without food that day.
And there is a restaurant. The dining room on the first floor of Kounkaku closes for orders at 3:00 p.m. A bow tie man replied with his usual low tension, “It’s closed,” to a male customer who showed up around 3:20 p.m. “Can I still order? 5 people,” he said. He always has that tension. It hasn’t changed over the years. I’ll be rather surprised if the day comes when he gears up for high tension.
I didn’t eat it because it looks like it has too many bones.
It was hot, so I ordered Sujata’s pistachio soft serve ice cream.
It was 100 yen higher than the others.
It is smaller than it looks in the picture.(・ω・)
I ordered a shiitake mushroom bowl on the first floor of Kounkaku.
I ordered before 3:00 p.m. but for some reason the paper marked 15:16.
No one else.
Hojicha? This was better than the tea in the room.
The water was hot enough to make cup noodles even the next morning.
This toothbrush is well made and good enough for everyday use.
The best time to visit may be after 5:30 p.m. when there are no more visitors after checking in and taking a bath in the hot spring.
A large number of worshippers were still there until after 5:00 p.m.
Zero at 18:00.
You can take pictures without worrying about your surroundings.
This place is also usually crowded, but as you can see, there are zero people here.
After this visit, for the first time, I passed through the cherry blossoms with petals dancing in the air. Another visitor noticed the petals and took a picture of them. No other visitors appeared while I was taking pictures, but after I finished, more than 10 people appeared one after another.
Information on concession stand. Most of the sake is Japanese. Original bottles sold only here.
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IraAbout me, Ira
a) Manga creator living in Singapore
b)My relatives: Singaporean, Malaysian and Japanese.
c)Have covered about 460 islands in manga
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