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🌊⛰️THE JEWEL OF LAKE BIWA🙏😇
Chikubushima (竹生島), a tiny island on Lake Biwa (琵琶湖), is home to Tsukubusuma-jinja (都久夫須麻神社) and Hōgon-ji (宝厳寺), 1 of Japan's "3 Great Shrines of Benzaiten" (弁才天).
It is believed Benzaiten's first steps on Earth were here.
#Japan ImageImageImageImage
Lake Biwa (琵琶湖) is Japan's largest freshwater lake, & is estimated to be the world's 13th oldest!
Originally known as 'Awaumi' (淡海 the 'Freshwater Sea'), & poetically as 'Nio-no-Umi' (鳰の海 'Little Grebe Lake'), by the Edo times it was likened to the shape of a biwa (lute). ImageImageImageImage
An early reference to the lake being shaped like a biwa comes from the monk Kōsō (光宗), writing between 1311-47.

"The lake is the Pure land of the goddess Benzaiten because she lives on Chikubu Island and the shape of the lake is similar to that of...her favorite instrument." ImageImageImageImage
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THE JEWEL OF LAKE BIWA-

Chikubushima (竹生島), a tiny island on Lake Biwa (琵琶湖), is home to Tsukubusuma-jinja (都久夫須麻神社) & Hogon-ji (宝厳寺), 1 of Japan's 3 great Benzaiten (弁才天) Shrines.
It is believed Benzaiten's first steps on Earth were here.
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#Shiga #Japan ImageImageImageImage
Benzaiten, as goddess of 'all that flows', is often enshrined close to water.
Hogon-ji's statue of Benzaiten is one of the most celebrated in Japan. Created in 1565, unusually the goddess is depicted with 8 arms, each carrying an object that confirms her power & divinity. -2- Image
In the distant past, two mountains in Northern Shiga argued over which was tallest. Mt Ibuki (伊吹山) became so angry that he drew a sword & sliced the peak from his rival. The piece flew into Lake Biwa to become Chikubushima. Thus Ibuki-yama became Shiga's highest mountain. -3- ImageImageImageImage
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