Oita is Home to Awesome Rock Carvings!
Devon Lord-Moncrief
Japan may be super famous for anime, ninja, and ramen, but it’s also a profoundly spiritual and religious country. In fact, its relationship to Buddhism dates back centuries. Of all the shrines and religious sites to visit, look no further than the Magaibutsu in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu!
Where are the Kumano Magaibutsu?
The term Magaibutsu refers to Buddhist figures carved directly into stone walls or rock faces. The Kumano Magaibutsu specifically includes three such carvings found on the Kunisaki Peninsula in Bungotakada, Ōita Prefecture, on Kyushu Island.
Kyushu lies west of Tokyo and Kyoto. It is the southernmost of Japan’s main central islands. The distance from Tokyo to Kyushu is about twice that between Tokyo and Kyoto. For people in central or western Japan, visiting the carvings makes a perfect weekend trip—an unforgettable one, at that.
Once on the Kunisaki Peninsula, the carvings can be found on Mount Tawara. At the base of the mountain, at Taizo-ji, there is a path that leads up to the carvings. This might sound simple, and in a way, it is, as it is a straight shot, but the path consists of a single flight of stone stairs that extends upwards for ten straight minutes.
Even though the path has railings for assistance, climbing a flight of stairs for ten whole minutes straight is no joke. But for those who brave the climb, their effort pays off tremendously. And besides, how great would it be to say that you did the stairs anyway?
What is the Kumano Magaibutsu in Oita?
The Kumano Magaibutsu consists of four different carvings found at the top of the stone staircase. The first is Fudō Myōō, the Buddhist guardian deity that guided ignorant souls to the path of enlightenment. Fudō Myōō is a bit intimidating. This is because he has a sword in one hand and two fangs protruding from his mouth. But his face is round and soft, and he winks with one eye at his visitors, making him a playful figure to see.
Next to see is Dainichi Nyorai, the central Buddha in Japanese esoteric Buddhism. Unlike Fudo Myoo, Dainichi Nyorai has a quiet, stern look on his face, with tight curls carved on his head. Also to be seen at the top of the stairs are Kongara Dōji and Seitaka Dōji, the two boy attendants to Fudo Myōō. Unlike the other carvings, which stand upwards of seven to eight meters in height, Kongara Dōji and Seitaka Dōji are roughly three meters in height. The stone figures themselves are pretty big, which is a wonderful payoff for making the huge climb up the stairs.
Finally, further up the path is Kumano Shrine. Kumano Shrine is small and simple in design, but it is no less gorgeous, nestled among the mountain trees. Those planning to take a trip to visit the shrine and the adjacent magaibutsu should undoubtedly do so during the Fall, as the Autumn foliage is absolutely breathtaking. There’s something magical and wonderful in walking through the Japanese mountains, listening to the birds and the breeze. Seriously, this is the stuff the best vacations are made from, so you can’t miss it when you get to Japan.
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Why are the Kumano Magaibutsu so important?
The entire Kumano Magaibutsu location on Mount Tawara is absolutely bursting with historical significance. Believed to be carved during the Heian and Kamakura periods, local legends claim the carvings were created in 718 during the Nara period by Ninmon, a prominent figure in Japanese Buddhism. Not only that, but legends also state that a fiery red oni created the very stone stairs visitors must climb to reach the carvings in a single night. Pretty spooky, but luckily, there haven’t been any demon sightings since (or so we think.)
Not only is that immensely cool in its own right, but it goes hand in hand with the tales and superstitions that once pervaded the Kunisaki Peninsula many centuries ago. It was once believed that the area was full of demons and foul spirits. Visiting the Kumano Magaibutsu today probably won’t include any real-life demons to contend with, which is nice, but the history of the land is still supremely cool.
Oita might be a pretty far-flung destination from more tourist-centric locations like Tokyo and Osaka, but that only makes the trip even better. Sure, checking out Akihabara and Shibuya is awesome, but getting out of the city for a bit is equally awesome. It is absolutely worth visiting for anyone seeking to get off the beaten path in Japan. Have you ever seen the Kumano Magaibutsu before? If so, what did you think? Please let us know! We’d love to hear from you!
Cited Sources
- Visit Oita. “Kumano Magaibutsu“.
- Nippon.com. “Kumano Magaibutsu: Buddhist Rock Carvings in Ōita“.
- Japan National Tourism Organization. “Kumano Magaibutsu Stone Buddha“.
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