8.Fumotobochu Geosite
One town's history and culture
After the Furobochu area on top of Mt. Aso fell into decline, the daimyo Kiyomasa Kato is said to have revived it here, at the mountain's base. O-jizosama, the guardian diety of children, is worshipped at many of the shrines and temples here. One of the region's temples, Saigandenji, is said to be the oldest in Kyushu. A sub-temple of Kyoto's Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple, it was rebuilt in its current location during the Edo era. The temple is mentioned in Natsume Soseki's novel The 210th Day.
Saigandenji Temple
The Tendai school of Buddhism once thrived on the craggy western slopes of Nakadake Crater. Said to have begun with the dedication of a shrine to the Eleven-faced Kannon, the Furubochu area eventually became home to dozens of hermitages and temples. Among them was Saigandenji. As the volcano entered a period of activity in the Edo era, however, Saigandenji retreated from the peak to the foothills of the mountain. The temple owns numerous important cultural properties.
