観音洞 - Kannon Cave
Come with me to explore one of Takarajima's natural wonders, Kannon Cave!
Takarajima may be a small rock in the middle of the ocean (or possibly squished between two seas, depending on how you look at it) but there are a few defining features. While the island was once created by a stratovolcano, several limestone caves have been discovered here.
Contents:
The largest cave on the island, 観音洞 (Kan'non-dō), is described by a sign beside the path to the entrance:
Translated, the sign reads:
Limestone Cave (Kannon Cave)
There are about six limestone caves on Takarajima. Of these, this cave (Kannon Cave) is the largest, measuring approximately 500m deep. Near the entrance of the cave are enshrined the statues of Kannon, lined up facing forward. This cave, along with the Kaminomiya, Shimonomiya and Heike-do temples scattered around the island, is a central presence in the island's faith. For this reason, the local residents worship these Kannon as a deity ("Kami-sama"). An ancient Huzhou mirror (a mirror from the Yuan Dynasty in Nanrong, China) and 35 ancient coins (including 13 Kan'ei Tsūhō coins, 3 Yongle Tsūhō coins, and 2 Daguan Tsūhō coins) were discovered in the limestone cave, here.
It is also said that this island was the inspiration for the novel "Treasure Island" written by the British literary giant Stevenson, and there is a legend that pirates once made this island their home and hid a huge amount of treasure. It is a place full of dreams and romance.
- January 11, 1991 Toshima Village Board of Education
The description is not completely objective, but it certainly sparks intrigue. Following the path beside the sign, through a concrete torii gate with chipping red paint, one finds stairs to a grotto featuring the aforementioned visage of Kannon.
The path from the road leads through a torii gate, up to a small shrine building before the grotto.
Who is Kannon?
The Japanese deific entity, Kannon, evolved from a similar figure venerated in Mahayana Buddhism as the embodiment of compassion. Kannon is Japan's manifestation of the bodhisattva originally known as Avalokiteshvara. It would seem that since Buddhism spread to Japan from mainland Asia, this figure evolved to adopt increasingly Japanese traits, such as transitioning from a traditionally male to a female figure, her renaming, and her deification. Various depictions of Kannon differ in appearance but hold to a central ideal and symbolism encompassing the capacity to reach out to whomever is in search of compassion or salvation and the ability to lend protection from suffering. Japanese tradition reveres her as a savior to those in need, especially during great disasters and while out at sea. The Kannon enshrined here before the cave on Takarajima feature the (presumably) white robes associated with her purity and detachment from earthly defilements.
It is somewhat difficult to identify the idols here as Kannon, according to typical descriptions. ('Kannon' is its own plural.)
Oddly enough, though Kannon once originated as a figure among Buddhist teachings, she has been incorporated into Sinto beliefs with a place among the other Kami. Kannon Cave is thus venerated as a Shinto shrine, evident by the red torii at the entrance off the road.
The Cave
The cave itself is quite incredible. Locals I asked said it was okay to enter the cave, which is quite the treat. There are no paths or guard rails (other than the ones at the entrance) and while the caves are not deep enough to call entering a 'hike' there is still plenty to see. The inside is quite magnificent and there are many obvious regions of active rock formation. Avoiding them is challenging but not impossible. There are several areas with rock stacked high, either as a barrier or means of exodus from the cave.
Getting Around
The floor of the mouth of the cave consists mainly of piled-up rubble and so footing can be somewhat uncertain in the beginning; the local vipers, 'habu', are also sometimes found in such rock piles, so caution is advisable. The floor of the cave interior, while slick and uneven, is rather solid and so traversal is not difficult. Visitors should wear water resistant boots, to be safe, and should be prepared to scramble on their hands and feet if necessary. For this reason, some might want to wear gloves as well. Illumination drops precipitously away from the entrance, so a flashlight is also recommended if delving deep.
Rubble at the mouth of the cave is piled up, making for a scramble.
Experiencing the Cave
Upon entering, you are likely to find the interior to be much cooler than even just outside the entrance. When visiting, it's usually been about 5°C cooler, which is a welcome respite in the summers here (30°C+) though the internal humidity is likely close to 90%. It appears that cool, humid, stagnant air tends to pool in the cave, likely due to its greater density than outside air and the lack of airflow. Condensation spontaneously precipitates just inside the mouth, rendering the sunlight streaming in as visible beams of light that pool on the cave floor and walls; visit late in the afternoon to best observe this magical effect.
The cave also dampens sound quite well and so deeper recesses can serve as a haven away from the drone of the incessant summer cicadas. It is perceptibly quiet within, unless it has recently rained a lot, at which point the pleasant dripping of water takes center stage.
Despite being a very dark and dank place, Kannon-dō does not have any offensive odors, and venturing inside is quite an enriching experience. To keep it that way, visitors should always carry away everything they bring (leave no litter) and never touch the rock formations (take no trophies). Just being allowed to enter such a magnificent monument unaccompanied is a huge extension of faith from the local community, so do not break that trust.
Take only pictures and leave only footprints (though try not to leave even those if you can avoid it).
Gallery
The shrine building and surrounding trees.
Multiple stone carvings of Kannon are enshrined around the entrance to the cave.
Some of the formations deeper in the cave.
Video
I also uploaded a short narrationless video tour of the shrine aspects of Kannon-dō to my new YouTube channel.
Closing
I continue to enjoy the natural wonders available to me on my little rock above the sea. Though we don't have much, exploring what we do has proven exciting, so far. Thanks for reading this far, and, of course, I have added this as a new location to the map:
Map
Sources and further reading:
Japan Experience
Gregory Wright
