Hogon-ji

Main hall

Plan of the temple (see text)

The Hōgon-ji ( Japanese 宝厳寺 ) with the mountain name Gankon-san ( 巌金山 ) is located on the island of Chikubu in Lake Biwa , which belongs to the city of Nagahama ( Shiga prefecture ). It is a temple of the Busan branch ( 豊山派 Busan-ha ) of the Shingon branch of Buddhism. As an exception, the main cult figure is not a Kannon , but the female figure among the seven gods of luck , the Benzaiten , who prefers an island as her domicile. This one belongs to the "Three Benzaites of Japan" ( 日本三弁財天 ;). The temple is the 30th temple on the Saigoku Pilgrimage Route in the traditional count .

history

As is recorded in the Chikubushima Enki ( 竹生島縁起 ) from the year 931, the temple was built in 738 by the priest Gyōki at the request of the Emperor Shōmu , Gyōki carved a two-foot high group of the Shitennō and built a small pavilion for them. At the time of its founding, the temple belonged to the Tōdai-ji in Nara , from the Tenryaku era (947–957) it came to the Enryaku-ji . Since the beginning of the 16th century, the temple complex Chikubushima was called Daijingū-ji.

The temple complex

From the pier there is a steep staircase of about 20 steps up to a torii . The abbot and monk's quarters are also on the left (A on the map). After another 30 steps you come to the large stone torii with the inscription 厳金山 Kankonzan . The path to the right leads to a building complex consisting of the " Kannon Hall" ( 観音堂 Kannon-dō ; important cultural asset of Japan , marked with ◎ in the following; 2), which can be seen through a “Chinese” designed entrance area Karamon ( 唐門 ; 1), which is registered as a national treasure, enters. Behind it, a "boat corridor" ( 舟廊下 Funa rōka ; ◎; 3) placed on a beam structure leads to an earlier pier, which was built with material from a residence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi . Karamon and Kannonhalle are covered with cedar shingles ( 檜皮葺 Hiwada-buki ).

Back to the stairs: on the left is the gettei-in ( 月定院 ; 5), in front of it the “source of pure water” ( 瑞祥水 Zuisho-mizu ; Q). Up it goes on, 167 stone steps up to the main hall ( 本堂 Hondō ; 6) of the temple, here called "Benten Hall" ( 弁天堂 Benten-dō ). The current building was built in 1942 in the style of the Heian period . It is 5 ken wide and 4 ken deep and has a hipped foot roof that is covered with cedar shingles. In front of the main hall there is a 2.46 meter high five-story stone pagoda ( 五重の石塔 Gojū-no-sekitō ; 7) from the Kamakura period . The Benten as the main cult figure is shown here sitting on a lotus blossom.

A short staircase leads to a higher temple area. There is behind the “Mochi tree” ( 黐の木 Mochi no ki , Ilex integra ; B) a three-story pagoda ( 三重塔 Sanjū-no-tō ; 8) and next to it the “Uhō Pavilion” ( 雨宝堂 Uhō-dō ; 9). The Hōmotsu-den treasury is also located here ( 宝物殿 ; S).

At the bottom of the pier there is a restaurant (G).

The Chikubushima Shrine

The Chikubushima Shrine ( 竹生島神社 Chikubushima jinja ; 4), also called Tsukubusuma Shrine ( 都久夫須麻神社 Tsukubusuma-jinja ), joins the boat passage in the east and has been connected to the temple since ancient times. Various island gods are worshiped in the shrine. The main hall ( 本殿 Honden ; 4) is registered as a national treasure. It is 3 × 3 Ken in size, has a hipped foot roof that is covered with cedar shingles and has a ridge in the Chinese style on the front and back. The hall, which was lost in a fire in 1558, was rebuilt in 1567. In 1602 a building was moved here from outside for a visit by Toyotomi Hideyori . Exactly where from is not clear, in any case it is designed in the style of the Momoyama period . The sliding doors and ceilings are said to have been painted by Kanō Mitsunobu .

Temple treasures

In addition to the Karamon, the introduction to the Hokke Sutra ( 法華経序品 Hokke-kyō johon , also called Chikubushima Sutra ( 竹生島経 )) is registered as a national treasure. It dates from the 11th century.

The temple also has the following important cultural assets (üter):

Pictorial representations, colored on silk: 16 Arhat ( 絹本着色十六羅漢図 Kenpon chakushoku jūroku rakkan-zu ), Shaka trinity ( 絹本着色釈迦三尊像 Kenpon chakushoku Shaka sanzon-zō ), a six-armed, seated Kannon ( 絹本着色如意輪観音像 Kenpon chakushoku nyoirin Kannon-zō ), Amida ( 絹本着色阿弥陀来迎図 Kenpon chakushoku Amida nyorai-zu ), North Star ( 絹本着色北斗九星像Kenpon chakushoku hokutokyūsei-zō ),
Embroidery: figures of saints ( 刺繍普賢十羅刹女図額 Shishu jūrasetsunyo-zugaku ) and Amida trinity ( 刺繍阿弥陀三尊来迎図額 Shishu Amida sanzon nyorai sugaku ),
Objects: Great sword ( 毛抜形太刀 Kenukigata tachi ), bronze water vessel, signed 1288 ( 銅水瓶弘安十一年銘 Dōsuibin Kōan 11-nen ), a seal ( 印 In ) from the Kamakura period,

the script Chikubushima bunsho ( 竹生島文書 ).

photos

Chinese gate, behind it Kannon Hall
Boat floor
View to the boat hall
Under the boat floor
Benzaiten
Stone pagoda
pagoda
Chikubu shrine

Remarks

↑ The other two are Enoshima Shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture and Itsukushima Shrine ( Hiroshima Prefecture ).

literature

Shiga-ken rekishi sampo henshu iinkai (ed.): Hogon-ji . In: Shiga-ken no rekishi sampo (ge). Yamakawa Shuppan, 2008. ISBN 978-4-634-24825-0 . Pp. 165-168.

Web links

Commons : Hōgon-ji - collection of images, videos and audio files

Temple website (Japanese)

35.421122 136.143225Coordinates: 35 ° 25 '16 " N , 136 ° 8' 35.6" E

[1] The other two are Enoshima Shrine in Kanagawa Prefecture and Itsukushima Shrine ( Hiroshima Prefecture ).