Temples

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Today I took the train to Hiraizumi - a 20 minute ride from my base in Mizusawa and a quaint little town that (incidentally) happens to be a world heritage site. Undeterred by the rain, I sallied forth and was not disappointed.

My first stop was to a Cave Temple called Takkoku-no-Iwaya Bishamon-Do (try saying that to the bus driver and getting it right!). Cave Temple is a little misleading as the main temple is in fact a free-standing raised wooden structure whose supports are built into a natural cave. The building as it stands today is a reconstruction as the original temple and the first replacement both burned down (for once, therefore, I was grateful for the rain). As I am slowly learning - most "temples" in fact consist of a temple-complex: a fenced-off area containing multuple shrines and Halls (temples).

The main temple at Takkoku is dedicated to Bishamon, the god of war. Unexpectedly, however, the god of war is an efficacious mediator on all sorts of problems (not least romantic and business success) and the temple itself was built to promote peace (as it was built on the remains of an old fort after the local tyrant was overthrown by a blow-in from Western Japan).

The other shrines and smaller temples house different deities, some warrior patrons and some not , and there is a carving of Buddha (now sadly eroded save for the head) into the cliff face.

Typically for all the shrines and temples I have seen (she says, with her years of experience and study), Takkoku is surrounded by trees and natural ponds and the buildings complement the natural surroundings nicely.

I braved the bus again to go back into the town centre (thankfully it was the same driver, who recognised me and so we didn't go through the whole hillarious pantomime of my trying (and failing) to communicate in Japanese again - although, to do him justice, he was extremely patient with me) and found a nice noodle restaurant for lunch. The bowl of noodles in soup I was served was almost indecent, but very welcome nonetheless - and delicious. After subtly (I hope) observing my neighbour eat his noodle, I tried to reproduce the expected level of sliurping - but, being British trained, I fell short of the mark by a long way.

Warmed and full, I set off for my next destination, the temple complex, Chuson-ji. (On the way I stopped to buy batteries for my camera and, confusingly, was presented with a complimentary packet of tissues....).

Takkoku was a complex based around one big temple, with satellite shrines. Chuson-ji has at least 4 main temples (to my counting), although only the Main Hall is still used for services, and a plethora of shrines. The whole complex is in the middle of the woods, so the setting was beautiful, and on top of a hill, so the walk was exhausting.

There were a million school groups out on the day I went (all of whom thought it exciting / hillarious to meet a foreigner and most had to greet me in English and then dissolve into giggles when I reciprocated). I find Japanese school children hillarious and engaging - not at all sulky teenagers and all adorably fascinated by anything foreign. They were also all excited about the shrines although I get the impression that shrine visiting is a national hobby and holiday sport, rather than a religious practice. At least for the most part.

I started at the furthest part of the complex (my rationale being that it was all downhill - geographically - from there). I leave you to navigate the photos and the map, but I will particularly mention the Golden Hall, which was resplendent in gold, ivory and mother-of-pearl and was highly impressive - designed, so the blurb said, to recreate Buddha's Western Paradise. Sadly no photos were allowed so you shall have to uee your imagination (and then add more gold to the image in your head). Or google it: (Konjikido, Chuson-ji, Hiraizumi).

Since the Main Hall is the centre of the active worship that goes on in Chuson-ji I didn't take any photos from within that area either, but I did meet a Buddhist monk (who returned my greeting nod).

I think my favourite shrine was the Benkeido Hall - which is right at the entrance to the complex, but which I saw last, as it had the most amazing lintell, carved with demons and dragons (isn't that a film?). There were pebbles placed on every available surface as, I assume, offerings, but for what or to whom I have not been able to find out. If you know, please tell me! You could also clear up the mystery of why many of the Buddha statues wear bright red caps and bibs - I tried asking someone, who gave me a very full answer but all I was able to understand from it was that it was something to do with babies, but whether would-be mothers pray to those Buddhas or whether they are symbolically child-like Buddhas, I am not sure about.

Anyway, Chuson-ji made for an amazing afternoon's sight-seeing and I would definitely recommend it. On a finishing note, I bumped into the same kind guide that showed me round the Saito-san museum in Mizusawa again in Hiraizumi - apparently, it's a small world. Who knew.

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Photos

Bishaimon Hall
The main temple at Takkoku - dedicated to Bishaimon, god of war, by general Sakanoue no Tamuramaro. This is a 1961 reconstruction.

Gama no Ike pond
The pond that stands just below Bishaimon Hall at Takkoku. The name means Toad Pond. On the island at the centre of the pond stands a shrine dedicated to the goddess Benten, who promotes intelligence, happiness and skillfulness and brings good luck in business.

Kondo and Betto
The red building on the left is the Kondo (Golden Hall), again a modern reconstruction. It houses a Yakushi Buddha. The gate to the right of it leads to Betto, which I think houses the head priest.

Map of Chuson-ji
I've tried to put the photos in the order I saw the temples: I started with the loop far left at the top of the bage, then the loop below that, and then went straight left to right.

Path to temple complex
It's much colder in Iwate than elsewhere in Japan, and so not all the cherry blossom had fallen even by this late in the year. Some of it fluttered down with the wind as I was walking, looking like pink snow.

Hakusan-jinja No Butai gate
Fun temple fact: red gates like this typically indicate a shrine (jinja - pronounced like ginger) rather than a temple.

View from Hakusan-jinja No Butai 2
Told you we were on a hill.

Kyo-Oido (Former Konjikido Pod Hall) interior
The blocks at the very top of this pillar looked as though they could swivel round and change the meaning of the pillar. But my Japanese sadly wasn't good enough to ask if that was the case.

Shakado Hall stones
Benkeido Hall wasn't the only shrine with pebble offerings.

Dainchido Hall statue
I reckon the top of this statue looks like the grip of a katana...Japanese sword in the stone?

Benkeido Hall gate and steps
Pebbles lined almost every available surface: the top bars on the gate, the stone lanterns, everywhere.

Comments

[Jacqui]

Trying to answer your queries
Hi Thanks for the update - looks fantastic. I can't find out who the pebbles are placed for but I have found this answer with regard to the red bibs and caps ! These statues are called "Jizo" or more endearingly "Ojizo san". It was believed that "Ojizo san". would guide dead soul not to head to hell, but to heaven or the kingdom of buddha.. It was also believed that children or babies dying before their parents's death are sinful, so very likely these soul are to be send to hell if no one guide to heaven. People wishes children's spirits to head to heaven, and give these baby red bibs and caps to "Ojizo san" statues in the hope that "Ojizo san" guides these dead children's soul to heaven. Red color is believed to protect babies from evil or disease. With love Jacqui

[Liz21]

Ok, cool - thanks wikipedia! ;-) Today I also saw a shrine with statues of foxes in front and they were also wearing bibs. So maybe it is not just Buddha who can guide dead spirits.