The auther's home country
The auther's home country is Okayama city, Okayama Pref., the western part of Japan. The birthplace is located very close to Kurashiki city. Lately, I can only return home twice a year. However, I love my home country although it has considerbly changed since I left there more than 20 years ago.
Kibi-ji (Kibi District)
The area ranging from Okayama city to Souja city. In ancient times, it was called "Kibi Province". There are a lot of ancient tombs and relics.
PjThe birthplace of T. Inukai (Prime minister in 1931)---Natsukawa, Okayama city
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He was assassinated in 1932 by a military officer. His last word ,
"We could understand if we would talk each other.", which he said just before he was killed is very famous. His birthplace is very close to my parental home. His memorial museum is built there. When I was a primary school student, I used to have visited his grave on the anniversary of his death (May 15).
QjKibitsu Shrine (Kibitsu, Okayama city)j
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Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto (Lord of Kibitsuhiko), dispatched to the Kibi Province as "General" in the era of the 10th Sujin Emperor, is deified. The shrine is a tutelary god (deity) of the ancient Kibi Province. The main building is called "Kibitsu-zukuri". Both the main building and sanctuary are national treasures.
Main building
Passage
RjShrine of Iron Pot built in 1612 (Kibitsu, Okayama city)
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It is famous for fortunetelling by the boiling-water-sound of iron pot for rice cooking. The iron pot is written as "Kibitsu no Kama" in the tale of horror by Akinari Ueda in 18th century.
I could not see the inside when I visited there.
SjTomb of cows' nose rings
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The tomb is a mound of approx. 6.8 million pcs of cows' nose rings sent from all around Japan. The patron saint is Batou (horse-head) Kwannon. The temple is operated by the Fukudenkai Headquarters. If you were there alone, you must feel strange and the Spirit. Thus I could not take a photo of the tomb. I strongly suggest you to visit there and see the real thing.
TjKibitsuhiko Shrine (Kibitsu, Okayama city)
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Shrine deifying the lord of Kibitsuhiko. From ancient times, many people have had faith in the shrine as the first shrine of the ancient Bizen Province.
UjTsukuriyama old mound (Shimoshinjou, Okayama city)
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Distance: 350m Height: 24m
VjState-established provincial temple of Bicchu(Kamibayashi, Souja city)
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One of the state-established provincial temples in the era of Shomu Emperor in 8th century. The present building was re-built in 17th century. It is famous for five-storied pagoda.
WjKoumorizuka old mound (Shimobayashi, Souja city)
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You can see a stone coffine in the mound
Inside, there is a stone coffin
XjRuins of nunnery of ancient Bicchu Province (Shimobayashi, Souja city)
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Ruins of nunnery built in 8th century
POjKibi-District Cycling Road
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Cycling road through the Kibi-District. Kibi-ji Marathon Race is held every year on the 4th Sunday of February. (Full, 20km, 4.8km) Every time I come home, I jog this course. The round trip is approx. 20km from my parental home to the state-established provinvial temple. The course is very quiet and good for jogging. You can see a lot of herons and cows there. Those numbers are more than sightseeing people!
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