Kōzō-ji (Kisarazu)
The Kōzō-ji ( Japanese 高 蔵 寺 ) with the mountain name Heiya-san ( 平 野山 ) is a temple of the Shingon direction of Buddhism in Kisarazu ( Chiba Prefecture ), Japan. In the traditional count it is the 30th of the 33 temples in the Kantō region .
history
It happened at the time of Emperor Yōmei (585-587) that priest Tokugi ( 徳 義 上人 ) saw an old man during his ascetic exercises, who pointed to an old tree. There he saw a 4-inch Kannon , for which he, together with the people from the area, set up a place of prayer. This was expanded into a large temple complex ( 伽藍 Garan ) in the 7th century . The temple later burned down but was rebuilt in 1526.
The attachment
You enter the temple, which is located on a mountain slope, from the south through the temple gate from the Edo period , which is here as a Niō gate ( 仁王 門 Niō-mon ; 1 in the plan), i.e. as a gate with the two temple guards ( Niō ) on the right and left from the passage. You pass the low housing for the temple bell ( 鐘楼 Shōrō ), also from the Edo period. The temple bell was melted down during the Pacific War and was refilled in 1972 with the help of donations. Now you have the large main hall ( 本 堂 Hondō ; 2) in front of you. It dates from 1526 when the temple was rebuilt and is 9 ken (16 m) wide at the front . The hall stands on a high base and has a double roof. In 1928 the upper roof collapsed and had to be replaced.
The abbot quarter (A) with the refectory ( 庫裏 Kuri ; B), which is a little below, has a small garden (G) in the classic Japanese style. At the height above the temple is the cemetery (F).
Immediately next to the main hall is the Kumamo Shrine ( 熊 野 神社 Kumano-jinja ; S), one of the many branch shrines of the main Kumano Hongū-Taisha shrine in Wakayama Prefecture .
Treasures of the temple
The "Takakura-Kannon" ( 高 倉 観 音 ) is venerated . It was made from a piece of camphor wood and is 3.6 m high.
literature
- Chiba-ken kotogakko Kyoiku kenkyukai rekishi bukai (Ed.): Kozo-ji . In: Chiba-ken no rekishi sampo. Yamakawa Shuppan, 2006. ISBN 978-4-634-24612-6 . P. 58.
Web links
Coordinates: 35 ° 20 ′ 19.7 ″ N , 139 ° 59 ′ 40 ″ E