宇佐・国東半島一帯に広がる「六郷満山文化」とは

大分県の空の玄関口、大分空港は国東市にあります。ここ国東半島は奇岩奇峰が連なり、かつて修験者たちが悟りの境地を求めて修行を重ねてきた地です。山間部に少し車を走らせると、壮大で厳かな景色を目の当たりにし、神と仏の長い歴史が織りなす空気に触れることが出来ます。

国東半島の中央にそびえる両子山から海岸へ向かって続く谷にある6つの郷。ここに奈良時代から平安時代にかけて花開いたのが六郷満山文化と言われています。山岳信仰、古代仏教、そして宇佐神宮をはじめとする八幡神への信仰が結びついて生まれた神仏習合による独自の仏教文化です。2018年には開山1300年を迎えます。

この六郷満山文化は宇佐の八幡神が姿を変えて人格化したともいわれ諸説残る、仁聞菩薩の寺院開基にはじまると言われています。

六郷満山の寺院の境内には鳥居が多くみられ、神と仏が融合した独自の文化が今も色濃く残っています。国東半島には古くから石造文化が発達し、全国の約8割の石造仁王像がここ国東半島にあるといわれています。このほかにも、国東塔、磨崖仏など、重要文化財に指定される多くの石造物が残っています。

この地域には諸説ある謎に包まれた歴史、文化、お祭りなどがあり、訪れる人を魅了し続けています。知れば知るほど謎は深まり、そしてさらに知りたくなる、そんな不思議なチカラを持った土地です。

Rokugou-manzan culture spreading all over the Usa and Kunisaki peninsula region:

Kunisaki city is home to the Oita airport, an entrance to Oita prefecture. In the past, practicing monks spent time practicing by climbing steep mountains up and down, to achieve enlightenment in Kunisaki peninsula, where strange shaped rocks and peaks can be found on all over the mountain. Driving away from city area of Kunisaki or Bungotakada cities, the magnificent and austere view strikes your eyes and you will feel the air of long histories of Shinto god and Buddha.

Terminology of Rokugou-manzan; roku means six, gou is a village, and manzan means a whole mountain. Rokugou-manzan was named from its origin: On Mt. Futago, towering at the center of Kunisaki peninsula, there are 6 valleys running seaward. The Rokugou-manzan culture came into existence and flourished during the Nara and the Heian era, circa 710 to 1192. In those periods, very unique and peculiar Buddhist culture called syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism was established from the combination of mountain worship, the ancient Buddhism and Hachiman beliefs including Usa shrine. We are celebrating its 1,300th anniversary in 2018.

It is believed that Rokugou-manzan culture was originated with the establishment of a temple by Nimon monk, who has a legend himself that Hachiman god of Usa shrine had incarnated.

So many torii gates were built in temples on Rokugou-manzan. They are one of the proof that the unique culture of Shinto god and Buddha unite together still breathing in modern society because normally, only shrines have torii gates. Kunisaki peninsula also has a peculiar culture of stone statues; 80% of all stone Niou statues, the two guardian Deva kings, in Japan can be found in Kunisaki peninsula. Many of stone statues here are registered as national important cultural property including Kunisaki towers and Magai-butsu, Buddha figure carved on a rock face.

The region with mystic histories, cultures, and festivals, Kunisaki peninsula had been attracting so many visitors. You cannot resist exploring enigma after enigma once you get into it, and you will be attracted to this place more and more.