Mount Kubotesan

Japanese: 求菩提山 - くぼてさん

<br /> Temple ruins in Kubotai, Shinose, Toriihata, Buzen City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Samuda, Chikujo Town, Chikujo District. Located in Buzen City, facing the Suo Nada Sea of the Seto Inland Sea in eastern Fukuoka Prefecture and bordering Oita Prefecture, this 782m-high mountain is one of the mountains of Shugendo, which spread nationwide from the late Heian period onwards. The main ruins include Gokokuji Temple, which was located at the 8th station of the mountain and had a mountain gate, lecture hall, Sannosha Shrine, Jyogyo Hall, and Ukiden Hall, and a group of huge rocks like Iwakura ( rock altars ) on the summit, and many sutra mounds were found during excavations in the surrounding area. In addition, there are many caves for training within the mountain, which are a characteristic of Shugendo ruins, and the five Kubotai caves, Dainichi Cave (Kongo Cave), Fugen Cave (Waizo Cave), Tamon Cave, Kissho Cave, Amida Cave, Fudo Cave, and Benzaiten Cave, have been confirmed. The 33 copper plates of the Lotus Sutra (21cm long, 18cm wide, 2mm thick) discovered in the Fugen Cave, along with the copper box in which they were kept, are designated as national treasures. There are also seven Shugendo settlements called bochu in Kamitani, Sugitani, Minamitani, Nishitani, Nakatani, Chatan, and Shitaya, which are built with stonework and cut into the mountain slopes in a stepped pattern. Although only one monk remains today, Mount Kubodai is home to many Shugendo ruins, and excavated artefacts and written materials on display at the Kubodai Museum give a glimpse into the activities of the time, leading to the site being designated a national historic site in 2001. It is about an hour's walk from the city bus stop "Mt. Kubodai Trailhead" at Ushima Station on the JR Nippō Main Line.

Source: Kodansha National Historic Site Guide Information

Japanese:

福岡県豊前市求菩提・篠瀬・鳥井畑ほか、築上郡築上町寒田にある寺院跡。福岡県東部、瀬戸内海の周防(すおう)灘に面し、大分県と県境を接する豊前市に所在する標高782mの山で、平安時代後期以降全国的に展開した修験道の山の一つである。おもな遺跡としては、山の8合目に山門・講堂・山王社・常行堂・浮殿などをもつ護国寺があったとされ、山頂には磐座(いわくら)のような巨石群があり、この周辺の発掘調査で多くの経塚が確認された。また、山内には修験道遺跡の特徴である修行のための窟が多数所在し、求菩提五窟といわれる大日窟（金剛窟）・普賢窟（胎蔵窟）・多聞窟・吉祥窟・阿弥陀窟や不動窟・弁財天窟などが確認されている。普賢窟から発見された33枚の銅板法華経（縦21cm、横18cm、厚さ2mm）は、これが納められていた銅筥とともに国宝になっている。坊中と呼ばれる修験者の集落も、上谷・杉谷・南谷・西谷・中谷・北谷・下谷の7ヵ所あり、山の斜面を階段状に切り開き、石組みで築かれている。現在は1坊を残すだけだが、求菩提山は修験道の豊富な遺跡を抱え、求菩提資料館に展示される出土遺物や文字資料からも、当時の活動をうかがうことができることから、2001（平成13）に国の史跡に指定された。JR日豊本線宇島駅から市バス「求菩提山登山口」下車、徒歩約1時間。

出典　講談社国指定史跡ガイドについて　情報

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