Akama Shrine

Yamaguchi · Japan · Monastery

At the shrine guarding the Heike clan's graves, the blind monk Hōichi played for a court of the dead — and lost his ears.

Akama Shrine in Shimonoseki stands beside Dan-no-ura, the strait where the Heike clan was annihilated in the naval battle of 1185, and fourteen of the clan's graves rest on its grounds around the Nanamorizuka memorial mound. It is the setting of one of Japan's most famous ghost stories: night after night the blind biwa player Hōichi was lured away to sing the tale of the battle for what he believed was a noble court — in truth, the spirits of the fallen Heike gathered among the tombstones. The monks painted protective sutras over his entire body but forgot his ears, which the ghosts tore away. A hall dedicated to Earless Hōichi still stands at the shrine, and the strait beyond is said to be haunted by the drowned warriors to this day.

FAQ

Wo befindet sich Akama Shrine?

Akama Shrine liegt in Yamaguchi, Japan.