Iwa Rocks

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Fudo Rocks, Fudo-Iwa 不動岩
fudooiwa fudo iwa fudoo myoo iwa
Many rocks look like Fudo Myo-O and are revered like this deity.
Here is the Fudo Rock of Shiraishi Island.



As the story goes, if you place your head in the small dell at head level and make a serious wish three times in your heart, this will will be granted by Fudo Myo-O.

You can see my friend putting her head in the head-shaped stone cave to make a wish. The whole formation of this huge rock is venered as Fudo himself.




More about the Henro Pilgrimage of Shiraishi is here:
The Shiraishi Pilgrimage to the 88 Temples of Shikoku

Gabi Greve: Magaibutsu, Buddhas carved in Stone Cliffs
Introducing some of the Fudo Myo-O Carvings.

Waterfalls and Fudo Myo-o 不動滝

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Fudo Iwa in Kumamoto / Oita

This formation was named in the Heian Period by a mountain ascetic who venerated Fudo Myo-O here. It has three Fudo Rocks, the front, middle and back Fudo. The highest Front Fudo, Mae Fudo 前不動 is 80 meters high and more than 100 meters in circumference.



不動岩の名称は、平安時代に山伏達がこの山にこもり、不動明王を本尊として修行したことに由来。
ごらんのように３つの巨大な岩（前不動、中不動、後不動）と連なり、最も大きい前不動では、高さ約８０ｍ、根回りが約１００ｍに達する巨石です。（現地案内板より）

Look at more photos here:
http://www.ajkj.jp/ajkj/kumamoto/yamaga/kanko/fudouiwa/fudouiwa.html

Fudo Rock at Yamaga-shi
There are three huge rocks on this hill in Yamaga city which are collectively called "Fudo Iwa" which means literally immovable rocks. These rocks are individually known as: Mae-Fudo, Naka-Fudo, and Ato-fudo.

Mae-Fudo is the biggest one, and from here you have a great view of mountain and sunset.

There is a story about these rocks that once upon a time, Fudo-Iwa and Hikodake (Mt. Hiko, located in Yamaga city) were step-brothers. Their mother always treated only Fudo-Iwa with affection because she gave birth to him, but treated the other Hikodake harshly.

One day, the mother told them to try the pulling rope game with their neck. She said, I will give the family treasure of 3 balls handed down for long time to the winner. When they started the game, because he was always eating soft and tasty beans the head of Fudo-Iwa came off easilly and fell into the Kubishi Pass where it remains turned into stone.

Now it is said that the rest of the body of Fudo-Iwa is the Fudo Iwa at present. Because Hikodake was always eating hard beans, he grew so big and tough. There is a Kyushu footpath around here to enjoy walking while looking at the seasonal flowers until you reach to the observatory.

© Kumamoto Prefectural Government
http://cyber.pref.kumamoto.jp/asp/kanko/kanko_intro.asp

. Fudo Myo-O 不動明王と鬼伝説　
Oni Demon Legends and Fudo .

ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo

There are many more of these rock formations in Japan. I will introduce them here.

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. daibanjaku 大盤石／大磐石 "huge rock" .

Sometimes a statue of Fudo sits on a huge rock,
at other places
a huge rock itself is venerated as Fudo Myo-O himself.

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