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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
Read 10 tweets
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
Read 8 tweets

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