| Osore-zan Bodai-ji | |
|---|---|
恐山 菩提寺 | |
 Grounds of Bodai-ji | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Sect | SōtōZen |
| Deity | Jizō Bosatsu |
| Location | |
| Location | 3-2 Tanabu Usoriyama, Mutsu-shi, Aomori-ken |
| Country | Japan |
  Mount Osore Show map of Aomori Prefecture Mount Osore (Japan) Show map of Japan | |
| Coordinates | 41°19′37.39″N141°5′24.97″E / 41.3270528°N 141.0902694°E /41.3270528; 141.0902694 |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Ennin |
| Established | 862 |
Mount Osore (恐山,Osore-zan) is the name of aBuddhist temple andfolk religion pilgrimage destination in the center of remoteShimokita Peninsula ofAomori Prefecture, in the northernTōhoku region of northernJapan. The temple is located in thecaldera of an activevolcano and is believed in Japanese mythology to be one of the gates to the underworld.
The name originally comes from theAinu language, with the form later phonetically changed when borrowed into the Japanese language to match the Japanese wordosore (恐れ), meaning "dread", likely due to the desolation of the volcanic landscape.[1] The Ainu name for the area may have beenusori[1] (of indeterminate meaning), orushoro ("gulf, large bay", possibly in reference toMutsu Bay)[2][3] or possibly evenusat oro nupuri ("mountain in cinders", a name recorded in some of the stories aboutEnnin).[2][4][5][6]
TheOsorezan Mountain Range (恐山山地,Osore-zan Sanchi) is a series of eightsomma volcanos ranging from east to west in the centre of Shimokita Peninsula. Mt. Kamafuse, the highest mountain in the range, has a height of 878 metres (2,881 ft). Although the Osorezan volcano`s last magma eruption took place over 10,000 years ago,[7] the area has manyfumaroles emitting steam andvolcanic gases (especiallysulfur dioxide), indicating that it is still an active volcano.Lake Usori is acaldera lake at the center of the volcanic range, with highly acidic waters.[8]
During theMeiji period,sulphur deposits in the area were exploited, partly to meet the demand forgunpowder production by the growing Japanese military; however the deposits were not economical to mine due to the remoteness of the site and the increasing availability of sulphur as a byproduct ofpetroleum refining.
The mountain is the location of aSōtōZen Buddhist temple,Bodai-ji (菩提寺), which claims to have been founded in 862 AD by the famed monkEnnin, withJizō Bosatsu as its main image. The temple was abandoned in 1457 and restored back to use in 1530.[9] In popular folk religion, the otherworldly setting of Mount Osore, with its charred landscape of blasted rocks filled with bubbling pits noted for unearthly hues and noxious fumes came to be one of several places in Japan identified to be an entrance to theUnderworld. A small brook running to the neighboringLake Usori was equated to theSanzu River, a river that deceased souls need to cross on their way to the afterlife.
A unique feature of Bodai-ji is the presence ofmediums known asitako who claim to summon the souls of the dead and deliver messages in their voices. These mediums were traditionally blind and had to receive extensive spiritual training and purification rituals; however, in modern times, their number has dwindled and not all are blind. The temple has a twice-yearlyItako Taisai festival held in summer and autumn.
The temple also maintains ahot spring resort for use by pilgrims and tourists.
The work of contemporary artistNara Yoshitomo, who is a native of Aomori Prefecture, is believed to be influenced, at least subconsciously, by Mount Osore (Ivy, 2010). For instance, his piece entitled “Not Everything But/ Green House” depicts a small female child standing over a pile of discarded dolls of varying characteristics and eras much like those observed at Mount Osore.[10]
As part of a collection offictionalfungi, artistTakeshi Yamada created the Oh-dokuro-dake (or “skull mushroom”) and the story surrounding their presence on Mount Osore for his "center for medical mycology" art project.[11]
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