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Bonotsu in Kagoshima
Bonotsu is a small port town, located on the west coast of Satsuma Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture. In the Asuka Age (592 - 710) and the Nara Age (710 - 794) of Japan from the seventh century to the nine century, Japan sent envoys to Tang Dynasty China to learn Chinese culture and civilization. Bonotsu was one of ports of call of Japanese envoys to Tang Dynasty China.Priest Jianzhen, "Ganjin" in Japanese, (688-763) was invited from Tang to introduce the precepts of Buddhism. Jianzhen made four attempts to cross the East China Sea to Japan from 743, but all these four attempts were failed because of storms and intervention by Chinese Government. In 753, Jianzhen made the fifth attempt, but it was also failed due to the storm, and his ship was drifted to Hainan Island. Because of very sever conditions, Jianzhen lost his eyesight. In 753, he had a chance to get aboard on a Japanese emissary ship returning to its home country, and finally Jianzhen landed to Japan.The approach to Bonotsu is a local train from Kogoshima-Chuo to Makurazaki on the Ibusuki-Makurazaki Railway Line of JR Kyushu and a bus from Makurazaki Station to Bonotsu. The scenery from a train on the Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line is beautiful. |
