Another tiny shrine in the farms

I have left this blog for a while. Things are going on uneventfully here. We are getting into the mid winder season for now. Sun is getting a bit brighter and shining for longer time for now, though.

I am taking a walk every several days. I know I should do that oftener. This chilly weather tends to keep me indoor. It is not very good for physical as well as mental health, as you know. I am trying to walk a bit more.

I found another walk path south of here, where they had not developed much. A lot of farms and forests there. It is a scenery in this area a few decades ago.

On the way of walking, there is a bush and trees along the road. I guess it is an abandoned property. It is impossible for me to go into there and to know what there has been. I still suspect it was a place some family had lived for a long time and the people had gone somewhere or had died. Not sure. But it is definitely a certain prospect there will be more houses and properties abandoned in the very near future. Unfortunately, demographics tells that and there is no measures taken by the government.

This is the road I walk. Surrounded by farms and forests. A few houses ahead and on the right side on this photo. It is too narrow for a car or even a person to go through. You may see a small forest on the left side on this photo. Whenever walking through beside it, I always wondered what it was. Maybe, a small shrine?

I have guessed right. There was a small shrine building among the cedar trees. A lot of weeds and bushes. It seemed this tiny shrine had not been well cared for.

A small signboard told this shrine was derived from the ruler in this area in the 12th century. The person named Nakamura, the same as the present place name, who had contributed much to the Samurai Yoritomo Minamoto in the conquer war in Tohoku area was assigned to the regional lord in Sendai in Tohoku area. In the memory of this event, Nakamura has ordered to build this shrine.

Of course, this shrine building is too new for that explanation. Even if it was a fact the regional ruler ordered to build one or a series of shrines, this must not be such shrine itself. But those having built this building in the later years would authorize it from such a historical event.

In that tiny building, cleaned up tidy, there was a small altar. A sake bottle and a cup were offered before that. It may mean this shrine was not totally forgotten.

On the way back home, I found a pretty big hill covered with cedar trees. I guess it is a kind of ancient tomb. I didn't dare to adventure to look up there since there was no path to the structure if it was really something ancient. Maybe, when I put on a shoes I could go through this muddy farm.

Previously, I have uploaded an article in this blog regarding a pretty big shrine in this area. It was also told it came from the era of Nakamura in the 12th century. There must be the other ones in this area. I could not help feeling amazed at the ancient people who worshiped and maintained those shrines. I believe they were kind of anchorage for them. Even though the present Shinto shrines should be discarded because of the recent history they have lead this country to the cruel war, I believe these unfamous shrines should be delivered to the next generation as an important cultural heritage.