Komyo-ji Temple in the southern Kamakura area

Komyo-ji Temple is in the southern part of Kamakura which is called the Zaimokuza area. Zaimoku literally means 'lumber' or 'timber' in Japanese. Za is a guild. There was a guild of timber merchants and craftsmen. In the Kamakura Era Zaimokuza was busy because of trading of the construction materials of temples. Komyo-ji temple is the most prestigious Jodo Buddhism temple in the Kanto Region. The most prestigious one in Japan is Chion-in Temple in Kyoto. Honen(1133-1212) founded Jodo Buddhism in 1175. His teaching was to chant a prayer the Buddha repeatedly by mumbling 'namuamibabutsu.' This is the outer entrance to the temple. For detailed information I posted this English explanation. It is said that this temple was build by Tsunetoski Hojo, the fourth regent of the Kamakura government.Honen passed away on January 25, 1212. The banner on the main gate says, 'It is the 800th anniversary of his death, the next year.' Kaizan-do is a hall where main priests' in the past have been enshrined. This is the main hall which was built in 1698.On the right altar in the main hall there are statues of Zendo Daishi and Benzaiten. On the left altar there are statues of Nyoirin Kannon and Honen. Zendo Daishi(613-681) was a priest of Chinese Jodo Buddhism. Honen was influenced by Zendo Daishi and founded Jodo Buddhism in Japan in 1175. Zendo Daishi's statue is standing in the precinct of Komyo-ji Temple. There is a beautiful pond in the precinct of Komyo-ji Temple. A holy rock garden, too. These rocks have been arranged in order, not randomly. Which rock is deemed as Honen?

Shiki・no・mori Park in Yokohama

I went to Shikinomori Park on purpose. I had a request from a foreigner to let him know a suitable site for watching fireflies. I looked for an information and found one. That was this park's event, ' firefly festival in June.' I had never been to this park, so I went there to see how it was like. 'Shiki' means four seasons. 'Mori' is a forest. 'No' is a particle for possession. So, Shikinomori is a forest of four seasons. We can enjoy four different scenaries at this park in Yokohama in one year. Two Chinese characters before the name make an adjective 'prefectural.' This is a Kanagawa prefectural park which is open 24 hour a day and free of charge.There are full of trees with valleys, marsh and ponds.Something is hanging over the pond.Streamers of carp are flying over the pond. In early May we have a habit of unfurling carp-shaped streamers to celebrate children's sound growth. Under the streamers there are real carp in the pond.A duck is floating comfortably.Several amateuer cameramen were waiting for something. I wondered what they were waithig for. So, I asked one of the men what they were doing.The reply was,' We are waiting for a kingfisher to alight on the perch in the pond. We catch the scene that a kingfisher catches a fish.' Calami are beautiful.I was fascinated to see a water mill. I will come here with my grandson in the future. I took this picture in an arboretum.

My conclusion: This is a huge park with natural beauty. You will be able to enjoy not only fireflies but also flowers, birds, carp and tortois.
Written and posted by Mitsutoshi Masunari.
 

Kawasaki Daishi

Kawasaki City is situated between Tokyo and Yokohama. Tokyo is the capital of Japan with the largest population of 12 million and Yokohama is the second populous city with 3.7 million people. Kawasaki itself has 1.4 million people as the 8th populous city of Japan. So, during the New Year's holidays, neary three million people come to this temple every year in three days. The number in 2010 was 2,960,000 and was the third largest after Meiji-jingu Shrine(3,200,000) in Tokyo and Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple(2,980,000) in Chiba Prefecture. At the entrance there is a stone doorplate which reads 'Main Temple Heiken-ji ' This temple is one of the three main temples of the Chizan denomination of Shingon Buddhism in the Kanto Region. Thus, the official name of this temple is 'Heiken-ji'. Why was it named so? It was named after a man's surname Hirama by using its Chinese reading Heiken. During the reign (1123-1141) of Sutoku Emperor, there lived a samurai in Nagoya whose name was Kanenori Hirama. One day he was covicted on a false charge. He wandered through many provinces and finally settled in Kawasaki and lived as a fisherman. Kanerori was a pious Buddhist and respected Kobo Daishi who was the founder of Shingon Buddhism. When he was 42 years old which was considered to be an unlucky age for men, he prayed for his misfortune day and night. One night a noble priest appeared in his dream and said, ' When I was in China, I carved a wooden idol of my own and put it in the ocean. Nobody has found it yet. Now you cast your net to retrieve it, hold a ritual for it, bring blessing to your people, and then your misfortune will change to fortune and virtue. Your wishes will be satisfied.'The next morning Kanenori went fishing and cast his net at a glittering spot; he found a wooden statue in his net. That was a revered idol of Kobo Daishi. He was delighted and placed it in a small thatched hut and gave the morning and evening offerings every day. One day a saint priest of Koyasan Kongobu-ji Temple named Sonken who was on his way of preaching Buddhism in various provinces stopped by Kanerori's hut. He was so moved to tears by the noble and wonder-working statue that he founded a temple with Kanerori in 1128. By the grace of his belief in Shingon Buddhism, Kanenori was proved to be innocent, recovered freedom and returned to his home in Nagoya. In 1236 the first head priest Sonken went to Kyoto to see the consort of the retired Emperor Toba who was a pious believer of Kobo Daishi. Soken talked about the story of this temple and performed an exorcism and offered a prayer for a birth of the successor of the Imperial Family.To the delight of the Imperial Family, a boy -the future prince- was born. In 1141 Kawasaki Daishi was designated as 'Chokugan-ji' meaning the temple which Imperial Family go and pray. Kobo Daishi's statue. There are 88 stone poles with temples names each. Those temples are the pilgrimage sites in Shikoku.Johnny is purifying straw sandals with water. Those were worn by pilgrims There is a small hall in which Prince Shotoku's (574-622)statue has been enshrined. Incence makes people feel relax.Streamers of carp. A milestone which used to stand along the Tama River(above) .

Soji-ji Temple in Yokohama with a British educator

Soji-ji Temple is one of the two main temples of the Soto Buddhism located in Tsurumi Ward of Yokohama and it is ten minutes' walk from JR-Tsurumi Station.Another main temple is Eihei-ji Temple in Fukui Prefecture founded by Dogen. It is the 100th anniversary since this temple moved from Ishikawa Prefecture. This is the outer gate called Sanshokan. Sansho means three pine trees; there were three dragon-shaped pine trees in Ishikawa's precinct.
Today's guest is a Britsh educator who is familiar with temples and shrines in Kyoto and Kamakura. His name is Johnny Buckle.This is Sanmon, the main gate. It was constructed in 1969 and is the largest concrete-made gate in Japan donated by Mr. Kihara who was an owner of an afforestation company. Further it houses two guardian deities on each side of the gate which were modeled on the former grand champion sumo wresler Kitanoumi.Mukai Karamon, the central gate was constructed in 1925. As you can see there are enblems of the Imperial Family of Japan, chrysanthemum. When Keizan was the fourth chief zen priest, Emperor Godaigo(1288-1339) promoted this temple to one of the national temples.Taihokan is a guest house. The original guest house was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 leaving only the entrance intact. The current guest house was relocated in 1957 from Sendagaya in Tokyo which was used by Owari-Tokugawa family.Shiuntai is a head abbot's official chamber erected in 1915.Shiuntai literally means 'Purple Cloud Chamber' with three Chinese characters written by Heihachiro Togo, the Admiral of the Meiji Era. Pictures on the sliding doors were painted by the artists of Kano Group between 1912-1925.Daisodo is the great hall of the founders which was built in 1966. This is the main assembly hall for semons and rituals. It is 36 meters high and a thousand tatami mats fill up the vast hall.A kannon statue was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary in the precinct. This is Butsuden, 'Buddha Hall.' An English tour guide Mitsutoshi is smiling in front of the hall.In Buddha Hall there is a statue of Buddha flanked by two statues of his foremost diciples. The floor of Buddha Hall was so beautiful and pure that a female poet Akiko Yosano(1878-1942) couldn't step on it although she was exceptionally permitted. She composed a poem expressing her feeling(below). Daikoku Soten in Koshakudai. Daikoku was a guardian deity and later became associated with the kitchen. Daikoku is known as a bringer of good fortune and fertility.This wooden statue is the tallest in Japan with the height of 180 cm.Koshakudai is the formal entrance to the monastery built in 1920. We entered this buiding and a young priest guided us in the buildings. Most of the buildings are connected by a long corridor and an underpass. Unsui Gunzou , Statue of Trainee Monks, was built in 1974. The sculptor's name is Torao Yazaki. The same statue stands in 'Bois de Vincennes' of Paris France which was built in 1973. To commemorate the 650th anniversary of the foundation of Soji-ji Temple 'Unsui-geki play' was performed by Mitsugoro Bando at Kabuki Theater in Tokyo.Sakuragi Kannon was built to mourn the death of 103 people in a railway accident at Sakuragicho Station in 1951. At the corner of a large parking lot there is another monument of Tsurumi accident which killed 160 people in 1963.Anaguma Inari is a fox-like deity who protects crpos especiall rice from harm. A monument of Basho, Matsuo; a famous haiku poet in the first half of the Edo Period. A monument of Liberal Party of JapanSanpoden Shrine which is a tutulary god of Soji-ji Temple. Yuu-chan's grave →(this way); Yuu-chan is a nickname of Yuujiro Ishihara Yuujiro Ishihara was the most popular actor after World War Ⅱ. He was buried in the cemetary of Soji-ji Temple after his death at 52. Shintaro Ishihara who is the governor of Tokyo is Yuujiro's elder brother.
After this we went to Kawasaki Daishi
RE
1. Dogen zen priest(1200-1259) went to China in 1223 and learned Soto-Buddhism there until he returned to Japan in 1228. In 1244 Dogen founded a temple 'Daibutsu-ji' in Fukui and renamed it to Eihei-ji Temple in 1246.
2. Keizan zen priest(1268-1325) was influenced by his pious mother and learned Buddhism since childhood at Eihei-ji Temple. Keizan traveled all around Japan and visited Soto and Rinzai temples. In 1321 Keizan was invited to Shogen-kannondo in Ishikawa Prefecture as its head priest. He named it as Soji-ji Temple. This is the beginning of Soji-ji Temple.
3. In 1322 Emperor Godaigo promoted Soji-ji Temple to one of the national temples.
4. On April 13, 1898 Soji-ji Temple caught fire and lost many structures.
5. On November 5, 1911 Soji-ji Temple moved to the current site.
6. Soji-ji means a main temple which has all types of teachings of Buddhism.
7. Akiko Yosano's poem:
'With beating heart
I take hesitant steps
On the floor clearer than ice
of the Great Treasure Hall'