We had a long journey north today as we made our way from the balmy weather of south-east Kyushu to Beppu in the north-east where autumn is arriving. We travelled peacefully through agricultural Kyushu, full of tidy fields, tidy polytunnels and tidy villages until we reached the Saitobaru Burial Mounds – where over 300 Kofun (the Japanese name for these kinds of burial mounds) stretch over the area.
After a futile attempt to go to the archaeological museum related to the site which was, of course, closed on a Monday, we suddenly realised that we were surrounded by them. Most have yet to be excavated and they come in a variety of shapes: keyholes, circular and corridor.
Best of all, some were surrounded by cosmos still in bloom:
We realised that we had just caught them when we saw a tractor ploughing up fields of flowers:
Nevertheless, people were still there to enjoy themselves amongst the cosmos:
We were able to go inside one of the mounds, running the gauntlet of flying creatures to make it into the small burial chamber:
And some of our sharp-eyed readers will remember that the figures yesterday were reproductions of figures found in sites like these. Imagine them looking out from the top of these mounds at the countryside around:
A lot further north, we visited another historical site – this time of stone buddhas carved into soft volcanic rock. Apparently, stone buddhas are rare in Japan and these are the only ones designated national treasures – so that’s something. They are estimated to have been carved between 794-1185 but the soft material and the high moisture levels make them susceptible to erosion so scientists treat them with UV light in the winter months to kill all the growth on them:
The figures were beautiful, if somewhat fragile so now sheltered by rather apt wooden buildings:
The big one, Dainchi Nyorai, is considered to be Japan’s finest stone-carved Buddha:
Tomorrow – no more archaeology: just an awful lot of hot-spring related activity as we hit the onsen capital of Japan, Beppu!
I was expecting cosmopolitan cocktails…
Ah yes, the well known Cosmo Cocktail – pink and petillant I think ?
The cosmos fields really are stunning. And the wonderfully liquid volcanic rock which also struck me all through your Aoshima pictures, while strangely beautiful, also seems a stern reminder of all those active volcanoes looming around Japan.
Indeed – we spent today in Bepu which is a city full of steam rising out of hot springs and the landscape is full of, probably, quite active volcanoes- sometimes feels as if you’re standing on quite a thin crust over boiling water…
So glad you got to the cosmos eventually, even if only just in time. I love the mounds and the figures which remind me of the statues around st Agustin in Colombia. And the Buddhas are stunning. Something about their fragility adds to their presence. I also loved the liquid stone on your previous post but failed to reply as have been caught up in Glasgow this weekend.
Yes, I was glad we hadn’t missed out on the cosmos altogether. The figures – with those saucer eyes – reminded me too of Colombian figures which is strange really? And the Buddhas really are fragile – a lot of the translated information went into some detail about the dangers of moss and creeping plans and the need to irradiate them..
Reading two of your posts together.
Great seaside, statues and fantastic melting feet…
The cosmos fields, so immersive. I wondered if there was any flower scent.
on and on you go… xx
No scent I think just a lovely array of pinks – and yes, on we go!
Lovely flowers, I’m a real cosmos fan
They’re really pretty and floaty, aren’t they? Sometimes there are little platforms to stand on to get the best photo…
A cosmos question – do these grow wild or are cultivated? I’m guessing the former given the tractor mowing them down!
I’m sure this lot were planted to enhance the general funeral mound vibe..
As always, we’re enjoying your thoughtful, witty commentary and great photos. Love Japanese cosmos fields of dreams. White cosmos opening now in our little garden in Melbourne. The burial bounds look similar to those at Gyeongju in South Korea – I wonder if there’s any connection. What shocking words has that clay figurine just heard – open mouthed, finger in ear? Soft stone buddhas – apt symbols of transience?
Hello, Rosalind, how nice to hear from you and delighted your cosmos is in bloom. I’m sure there are links to Korea, people travelled between the two countries from very early on so having similar burial rituals seems likely I should think. And the little figurine? Definitely shocked at something he/ she’s just heard ( ‘ they ploughed up the cosmos already?’)
So you did get to romp through fields of cosmos at last – excellent! I’m afraid the grave figure making a moue, with one hand on its hip and another behind its head, reminded me of nothing so much as Frankie Howerd – perhaps I should elevate my cultural references a little….
Well, indeed! Ooh err missus definitely lowers the tone ( though I can see what you mean).