Shōbō-ji (Higashimatsuyama)
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The Shōbō-ji ( Japanese 正法 寺 ), also known as Iwadono Kannon ( 岩 殿 観 音 ), with the mountain name Iwadono-san ( 巌 殿 山 ), is a temple belonging to the Chishaku branch ( 智 釈 派 Chishaku-ha ) of the Shingon - Belonged to the direction of Buddhism. It is located in Higashimatsuyama ( Saitama Prefecture ), Japan. In the traditional count it is the 10th of the 33 temples in the Kantō region .
history
According to tradition, a place of prayer was set up on the slope of Iwadono Mountain in the 2nd year of Yōrō , 718, which was then expanded into a temple complex in 796 on the instructions of Emperor Kammu . The temple later fell into disrepair, but was then rebuilt by Hiki Yoshikazu ( 比 企 能 員 ) by order of Minamoto no Yoritomo , i.e. in the 12th century . The temple grew into a large facility and had 66 clauses during the Muromachi period . Afterwards it was repeatedly ravaged by troops and largely destroyed.
investment
You climb up to the temple area and pass the temple gate ( 山門 Sammon ; 1 in the plan), which is designed here as a Niō gate ( 仁王 門 Niō-mon ), i.e. as a gate with the two temple guards ( Niō ) to the right and left of the passage. The gate bears the temple name (to be read from the right) 山 殿 岩 and below that another sign with the inscription, shown here in the reading direction, 施 無畏 Semui . This literally means “liberation from fear”, which is mainly attributed to holy Kannon . Now you have to climb a long flight of stairs until you reach the temple area.
The current "Kannon Hall" ( 観 音 堂 Kannon-dō ; 2) was originally a small temple in Hidaka . She was transferred here in the Meiji period . The hall is surrounded by rock walls, there are 88 small Buddha figures, one each for the 88 temples on the Shikoku pilgrimage route . In the bell tower ( 鐘楼 Shōrō ; 2) in the front area of the site hangs a bell from 1322. It is called the "Shōbōji copper bell" ( 正法 寺 銅鐘 Shōbōji Dōshō ) and is registered as a cultural asset of the prefecture.
Other buildings include the small “Hundred Jizō ” place of prayer ( 百 地 蔵 堂 Hyaku Jizōdō ; 4), the Yakushi pavilion ( 薬 師 堂 Yakushi -dō ; 5) and the Ema-dō ( 絵 馬 堂 ; 6) for hanging wish boards ( Ema ). The age of the ginkgo tree (G) on the site, which has a trunk circumference of 11 m, is estimated to be 700 years.
The access road from the east with its houses on the right and left still gives an idea of the former temple suburb ( 門前 町 Monzenmachi ).
literature
- Saitama-ken kotogakko shakai ka kyoiku kenkyukai rekishi bukai (Ed.): Shobo-ji . In: Saitama-ken no rekishi sampo. Yamakawa Shuppan, 2005. ISBN 978-4-634-24611-9 . P. 79.
Web links
Coordinates: 36 ° 0 '5 " N , 139 ° 21' 44.5" E