{"id":1506,"date":"2025-02-07T17:44:44","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T08:44:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/?p=1506"},"modified":"2025-02-07T17:44:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T08:44:44","slug":"exploring-the-mysterious-red-oni-blue-oni-gate-in-aso-with-google-maps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/archives\/exploring-the-mysterious-red-oni-blue-oni-gate-in-aso-with-google-maps.html","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the Mysterious “Red Oni, Blue Oni Gate” in Aso with Google Maps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cooped up at home, I often indulge in virtual explorations through Google Maps, allowing me to travel without leaving my chair. On one of these digital strolls…<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I stumbled upon this.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It says “Akaoni-Aooni-No-Mon” or Gates of the Red and Blue Oni.<\/span><\/p>\n

I know that red and blue oni are demons from Japanese folklore that also got incorporated into esoteric Buddhism…<\/span><\/p>\n

However, looking at the name alone, I have no idea what kind of place this is meant to be.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s check it out!<\/span><\/p>\n

An Unsettling Path<\/b><\/h2>\n

I headed to Minamiaso.<\/span><\/p>\n

Departing from a major road, I turned into a narrower one\u2014truly, a route only Google Maps could navigate<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It’s probably<\/span> hard to tell what it is like because I took this photo from inside the car, but it is a very narrow and steep road.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

With no room to let any oncoming traffic pass, it felt like an impossible challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Though seldom traveled by cars, caution is still advised.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Upon descending the slope, you come to a crossroads\u2014continue straight here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Even the bridge here is narrow, so those with larger vehicles should beware.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Another tight slope looms ahead, and we inch forward, hoping not to meet another vehicle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\uff01\uff1f<\/b><\/p>\n

Suddenly, A Mysterious Space Appears<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We barely squeezed through the gate with our compact car\u2014larger vehicles would face a tough challenge here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And really, what the heck is this place???<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The entrance labeled “Red Oni, Blue Oni” was exactly as peculiar as it sounds, evoking images of something from a video game or a manga.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ah, this Oni looks rather…interesting!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Despite being a demon, there’s something surprisingly approachable about him!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Blue Oni, though stern, seemed like it might ultimately become a friend.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

He gives off a kind of tsundere vibe\u2014though that’s just my take!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Central to the gateway was a figure that appeared quite noble.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a sign indicating that there is a Jizo bodhisattva statue revered for protecting the spirits of stillborn children, though it was unclear if it referred specifically to this figure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Looking from directly under the archway, the craftsmanship was intricate, with detailed fangs and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I had driven through the Red Oni’s gate earlier, only to find that the Blue Oni’s gate led to a dead end.<\/span><\/p>\n

There Were Other Statues Too<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Beyond was a spacious area resembling a park.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There were various Buddhist statues, some of which were toppled by earthquake damage from 2016, rendering the area off-limits.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I paid my respects from beyond the fence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There was also a statue of Fudo Myo-o (Acala).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Traditionally seen as a fearsome protector in Japanese Buddhism, this particular statue seemed unexpectedly serene.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There was also a shrine-like structure but it was locked up when I visited.<\/span><\/p>\n

It Feels Oddly Familiar<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Something about the atmosphere felt eerily familiar.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Then it hit me\u2014was this the “Shimizu Waterfall”?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We had featured it in the Higo Journal before! It’s likely part of the same complex.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re planning a visit, why not check out both?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What a strange yet intriguing place it turned out to be. I made sure to exit through the gate on my way out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I had a good time here!!<\/span><\/p>\n

I felt like I had been Spirited Away to a parallel universe and couldn’t look back until I was safely through the gate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then I was fearfully back on the narrow road again\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Huh??<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I found wild boarlets!!<\/span><\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t flee even as I approached. After a cautious “It’s dangerous!” from me, it reluctantly shuffled off.<\/span><\/p>\n

Given the narrow roads and potential for wildlife encounters, visitors should tread carefully!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cooped up at home, I often indulge in virtual explorations through Google Maps, allowing me to travel without leaving my … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,9,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","category-region","category-sightseeing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1506"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1539,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1506\/revisions\/1539"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}