Showing posts with label nio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nio. Show all posts

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Saikoji Temple 73 on the Kyushu Pilgrimage

 


Totakesan Saiko Temple, number 73 on the Shingon Kyushu Pilgrimage, is located in the high country north of Sasebo, Nagasaki, not far from the border with Arita in Saga.


The long, straight approach is lined with lanterns, and many of the statues that comprise a miniature 88 temple Shikoku Pilgrimage. The latter part of the approach has a trellis supporting wisteria.


There was a pond with a small shrine, probably a Benzaiten or a Suijin. Like much of the temple grounds, it seemed overgrown and unkempt, although I believe that since I visited a young priest has taken over the temple and has done a lot of renovation work.


A pair of stone Nio guard the main entrance gate.


The temple was founded in 1687 and was supported by the successive lords of the Hirado Domain.


It is said that at a nearby sacred rock and spring a priest had a vision of Kokuzo Bodhisattva, and so a statue of Kokuzo from a temple said to be founded by Gyoki across the mountains in Takeo, was transferred here and became the honzon.


The temple is also number 28 on the Kyushu Kannon Pilgrimage and number 17 on the Kyushu Jizo Pilgrimage.


A branch of Suitengu Shrine is within the temple grounds.


The grounds of the temple include some noteworthy trees that attract visitors. Most notable is a huge Omurazakura which is a cutting from the original Omurazakura lanted at the founding of the temple.


There is also a big Weeping Cherry and a Gyoiko Cherry with unusually coloured blooms, and something called a Turmeric Cherry.

There are also plenty of rhododendrons, and the aforementioned Wisteria.


Since the new priest took over in 2017 I believe the gardens have also been looked after much better than when I visited.


The previous post was on the Giant Fudo Myo statue adjacent to the temple.


Saturday, January 27, 2024

The Art of Taisanji Temple

 


Like most of the temples on major pilgrimages, Taisanji, temple 52 on the Shikoku pilgrimage has plenty of art adorning the buildings and grounds.


The Nio Gate is about 600 meters from the temple grounds. Rebuilt in 1305,at  the same time as the main hall, it contains 2 striking Nio guardians.


At the next gate, at the entrance to the main temple complex, there are 4 statues of the Shitenno, the four heavenly kings.


It is not uncommon to find temple gates with the four shitenno


Inside the bell tower are paintings depicting Enma and the other judges of hell and scenes of the tortures and sufferings awaiting those going to hell...


Ema, votive plaques, are a religious practice common to both shrines and temples. There were a variety of different designs at Taisanji, but I was attracted to theFudo.....


traces of pigment can still be seen in this example of relief carving....


Not sure who this statue is, but to my untrained eye it seems to be almost an Indian-style statue...


Small statues of Daikoku, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, can often be found at the ends of roof ridges, or, like here, on a wall toed with kawara.


To me, this final statue aears to be done in Korean style.


Saturday, January 13, 2024

Ganshoji Temple Mima

 


Ganshoji is one of seven large Buddhist temples located in a teramachi in rural Tokushima. Most teramachi, literally "temple town" were created in the Edo period as part of the castle towns that sprang up across the country, but this teramachi is located in a rural area that has been a centre for Buddhism since ancient times with the ruins of the very first temple in the region nearby.


Ganshoji also has a long history, said to have been founded in the Nara period. It is a Shingon temple with Amida Nyorai as the honzon.


The Niomon was built in the Meiji era but because of its unique design is registered as an Important Cultural Property


Behind the main hall is a small garden that was "discovered" by the famous 20th-century Japanese garden designer Mirei Shigemori who noted its similarity to the garden at Tenryuji. It is possibly the oldest garden in Shikoku.


Unfortunately, when I visited there was no one around and I couldn't see the garden.


The previous post in this series on day 3 of my walk around Shikoku on the Shikoku Fudo Myo pilgrimage was the neighboring Anrakuji Temple and its magnificent vermillion gate.


Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Niomon & Yakushido at Onsenji Temple

 


Onsenji Temple in Kinosaki Onsen, Hyogo, is the guardian temple of the town and was founded in the eighth century by the priest said to have discovered the hot spring.


The main buildings of the temple are located halfway up the mountainside and are reachable by steps from the base of the mountain, or, more commonly nowadays, by the ropeway.


At the bottom of the steps there are several; structures of the temple including an impressive Niomon, and a Yakushi-do.


Constructed in the late 18th Century, the Niomon contains a fine pair of Nio guardians.


The Yakushi-do was constructed a little later in the early 19th Century.


There is another small "hall" with what appears to be statues of Enma and other "Judges of Hell"


In the "foyer" of the Yakushi-do are many ema paintings and a delightful painted ceiling


The Motoyu, or origin of the hot spring is located just outside the temple grounds.


Onsenji is a Shingon temple.



The previous post in this series on Toyooka was on the main buildings of Onsenji.


Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Glimpses of Futagoji Temple

 


Futagoji Temple is a large Tendai temple on the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita, Kyushu. Pictured above are the steps leading up to the Okunoin.


Situated in the centre of the peninsula and on the lower slopes of its namesake, the highest point, 720 meters high Mount Futago.


Since the Edo Period, it has been the head temple of the Rokugo Manzan, the unique mountain-worshipping religion that is a syncretic mix of Tendai Buddhism and Usa Hachimangu shinto.


The honzon is a Thousand-armed Kannon and the temple has many other superb statues and paintings.


The Okunoin, further up the mountainside is set against a cliff and is well worth the extra climb.


On this trip I passed through the temple grounds fairly quickly as I was pressed for time and had to climb to the top of the mountain.


A few years later I returned and spent much longer here and took many more photos, so that will come in a later post on the Kyushu Fudo Myo Pilgrimage.