Zenkôji

One of the most famous temples in Japan is nestled in northern Nagano city and is actually the complex that the city of Nagano is founded around. Established by and named after Honda Yoshimitsu in 642 C.E. he acquired the first statue of Buddha brought to Japan with the influx of Buddhism from the Korean Penninsula in 552 C.E. Ever since, the temple has been a revered location to all. Even during the Sengoku Period (mid 15th to 17th century C.E.), battles in the Nagano area steered clear of the temple. The statue of Buddha is so sacred that it’s never been put on display in its entire history, though a replica its put on display every six years.

For the educated: 8. For the casual: 8.

Zenkôji is really a beautiful temple and I highly recommend visiting if you have the chance. It’s architectual style is a mix of the flourishing and embellished stylings of Edo Period design and the more natural stylings of Imperial Court architecture. As a result, the buildings tower over their surroundings with gold and copper accents but retain their natural wood finish.

The main road to the temple is on an uphill slope which is lined with souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes, and satelite temple halls. I highly recommend trying some miso ice cream from any of the vendors, it might be the best ice cream I’ve ever had. There’s a lot to see and enjoy as you make your way to the Sanmon, the temple’s main gate rebuilt in 1760 C.E. Visitors can climb the stairs inside and see the Monju Bodshisattva (the bodhisattva of wisdom) and the four Heavenly Kings.

The next gate is the Niomon which represents the boarder of the main temple complex. Between the Niomon and the Sanmon are most of the oldest shops as well as the dormatories (shukubo) where guests can spend the night if they sign up to join the early morning service (Oasaji).

Entrance to the temple is free for everyone unless you want to pray directly to the main buddhist altars. In addition to access to the main altars, visitors can experience the inner chamber below ground. This is a special experience where the guest, with shoes removed, follows the stairs below into pitch black where they follow the wall to find the “Key to Paradise.” This key, which is a real key, is said to provide wisdom, luck, and clarity to any who touch it.

 

Jindaiji

Jindaiji, a Tendai sect temple, is one of those temples that has such a wealth of history and yet is completely overlooked for larger, flashier locations. Founded in 733 C.E., Jindaiji claims to be the second oldest temple in the Kanto area behind Sensôji in Asakusa. While Sensôji is a massive complex which hosts thousands of visitors per day, Jindaiji is hidden away in a forest grove in central Tokyo Prefecture in Chofu City and only boasts large numbers of visitors on key dates like New Years, Setsubun in early February, Ganzandaishi Taisai in early March, and Jindai Jusanya in mid October. The temple has two halls, the Main Hall where general worship is performed to Amida Buddha, and the Ganzan Daishi Hall where Goma fire ceremonies are performed daily before statues of Fudô Myôô. The temple is also home to a national treasure: the Hakuhô Buddha. This statue is the oldest Buddhist statue in eastern Japan and was made in the late Asuka Period (c. 538 C.E. to 710 C.E.). The Asuka Period was noted for the first formal introduction and government support of Buddhism in Japan prior to the establishment of the Japanese empire of the Nara Period ( 710 C.E. to 794 C.E.).

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 8.

There’s a lot to love about this temple, but I think the real draw is the surrounding area. The road to the complex is a beautiful tree-covered road with the sweetest little shops that have been in the area since at least the early 20th century. Because the mountain Jindaiji produces a spring a fresh water, the locals have used that water to make delicious and refreshing soba. For those who don’t know, soba is a buckwheat noodle that is very thin and often served in a broth either hot or cold depending on the time of year. The number of soba restaurants is so extensive that there is a statue of the bodhisattva Kannon using her power to protect soba. In her left hand is a container of buckwheat, the grain from which soba noodles are made, and in her right hand is a bottle of tsuyu which is the base for the broth served in most soba dishes. This adorable little shrine was installed in 1963 and celebrated 60 years bringing good luck and health to community in 2023.

Getting to the temple takes a little bit, but not much. It can be reached by bus from either Chofu Station or Kichijoji Station, or from Chofu Station it’s a 20 to 30 minute walk, which I recommend at least trying once because the neighborhoods are so beautiful.

The Main Hall with gilt Amida statue.

The Ganzan Daishi Hall.

Kannon Bodhisattva statue for the protection of SOBA NOODLES!!!!! The left hand hold buckwheat seeds, and the right hand holds a bottle of the broth soba is served in/with.

 

Yama-dera (Risshakuji)

Yamagata Prefecture’s Yama-dera, or Risshakuji as it’s officially named, is one of the most famous temples in the Tohoku region of Japan. Founded in 860 C.E. as a temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it’s specifically noted for being a source of artistic inspiration for famed haiku poet Basho, painters, and for photographers visiting today. The temple is a series of buildings scattered across the sheer cliff face of Mt. Hoju.

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 7.

This temple is really a beautiful complex with amazing foliage like massive ceder pines, Japanese maple trees, and other trees that turn the hillsides orange and red in autumn. The stair climb from the valley floor to the upper levels might be a bit steep, but it doesn’t take too long. The added sight of Japanese grandmas taking on the challenge is a shot to near anyone’s ego and is sufficient motivation to keep climbing when the going gets tough, but like many rural temples, there’s plenty of places to stop and catch your breath while looking at the stunning sights around you.

I do have a beef to pick with this temple, and I have to bring it up because it really affected my experience there. The monks at the temple are not nice people. When I asked them a simple question (in Japanese), the monk responded with a short answer that was not welcoming and actually on the verge of being rude. This happened multiple times because as I mentioned before, the temple is a series of buildings spread out across a cliff. I understand that I was one of a large number of tourists visiting that day, but I’ve also been to busier and more remote locations that treated guests like human beings. I was severely disappointed that possibly my one and only visit to this beautiful location was marred by such disreputable staff.

Yama-dera literally means “mountain temple.”

 

Zuiganji

Zuiganji is a temple of the Rinzai-Zen sect of Buddhism in the coastal town of Matsushima just outside of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. The temple has gone by several names through its history and its official name now is Shoto Seiryuzan Zuiganempukuzenji, but Zuiganji is the common name. It was founded sometime in the 9th century C.E. and was called Empukuji. It changed names and sects of Buddhism depending on the political control in eastern Japan from the Oshu Fujiwara of the Heian Period, the Hojo of the Kamakura Period, to Date Masamune of the Sengoku and Edo Periods. The main prayer hall (hondo) and living quarters (kuri) are designated as national treasures preserving Momoyama-style (late Sengoku Period) art and architecture.

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 6.

Just like its neighbor Entsû-in, Zuiganji is a temple known for its gardens which are especially beautiful in autumn when the leaves change colors. Also at the same time as Entsû-in, Zuiganji hosts nighttime illuminations, particularly of its rock garden which is swathed in changing colors and vibrant laser patterns which highlight the ripples of sand and rock. The main hall has beautiful vibrant paintings and wood carvings.

The temple garden had a laser and light show on the rock garden and walls while live neo-traditional music was being played in the halls behind me.

Not the best photo, but I was obsessed with the way the light rolled off the ripples of rock and stone.