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.

 

Entsû-in

Founded in 1647, Entsû-in was built as the private temple of Date Mitsumune, grandson of renowned warlord Date Masamune. The temple is known for its fall foliage, mirror pond, and Mitsumune’s mausoleum. The leaves, which change between October and mid-November, are also illuminated at night which draws large crowds to the temple. The mausoleum is austentaciously Edo-style architecture intended to represent palace designs, and adorned with carved roses, an import from the west.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 5.

I was able to take a visit to the temple at the height of fall foliage and at one of the nighttime illuminations. I cannot express just how beautiful I thought this temple was. It’s a small building, but the key feature is the garden. Bathed in colored lights with little figures and a bamboo dragon the temple made, it was fun to go from curiosity to curiosity. For me the highlight of it all was the pond. Please believe me when I say I’ve never seen a more effective natural mirror in my life. I tried to photograph it, but they just didn’t do justice to the visual sentation of looking through a ring of stone and into a physical world.

Date Mitsumune’s Mausoleum

The reflection in the pond upside down. I wish these photos came out better, it was an amazingly beautiful sight to see this perfect reflection.

 

Zuihôden (Zuihôji)

Zuihôden is specifically the mausoleum of renowned Sengoku Period warlord Date Masamune (1567-1636 C.E.). As one of the most powerful warlords of his time and founder of the city of Sendai, he was one of the most influential people of his time. He died at the age of 70 in Edo (now Tokyo) and was laid to rest at Zuihôden in an oppulant mausoleum indicative of Edo Period architecture, meaning lots of color and gold. The building today is a recreation because Sendai was mostly destroyed by carpet bombing campaigns by American pilots in WWII. Reconstruction of the mausoleum did yeild remnants of Masamune’s body and was laid to rest again. The artifact fragments are on display in the Sendai City Museum and the Zuihôden Museum. Masamune’s son Tadamune, and grandson Tsunamune are buried in similar mausoleums around the corner along with memorial steele to the Boshin War victims, the war which ended the Tokugawa Shogunate and the reinstallment of imperial political control under Emperor Meiji.

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

Zuihôden is a beautiful building with vibrant colors and elaborate carvings. It’s a small building, but it’s still cool that this is the resting place of Date Masamune. I read in one of my sources that the surrounding pine forest represented the longevity of Miyagi and the prosperity of the Date clan. I wasn’t able to verify if it was real, but it did bring my attention to the woods which are very beautiful. The warmth of the wood with the additional glow of golden hour made it especially beautiful when I was there. I don’t think a person would feel bad if they missed going to this location, but I really thought that the significance of Masamune to the identity of the city, in addition to the raw beauty of the location, really made it worth the short trip for me.

This creature is called a kirin, it’s a Chinese unicorn which brings good luck. Fun fact, when the first giraffes were brought to east Asia, they thought they were these mythical unicorns so the Japanese for giraffe is also kirin. 

The middle crest is the Date clan’s crest.