Enryakuji (Hiezan)

January 17, 2018 by Brennan Duff in Temples

Founded at the end of the 8th century, Enryakuji is one of the most important temples in the history of Japanese Buddhism as it sits near the top of Mt. Hie (Hiezan) which straddles the boundary of Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures. Enryakuji is the most prominent temple of the traditional Tendai sect of Buddhism and at one time it was in command of over 3,000 sub-temples and an army of warrior monks. The Hiezan monks were responcible for burning down rival monasteries, fighting feudal lords for control over surrounding areas, and even taking on famed warlords like Oda Nobunaga. Ultimately they lost against Nobunaga and his forces when he burned the temple grounds in 1571 and were later closely watched by Toyotomi Hideyoishi and the subsequent Tokugawa shogunate. Because of Nobunaga, almost every building in the Enryakuji complex dates back no later than the 17th century in the Edo period.

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

To be completely honest, I was underwhelmed by Enryakuji. As a history major, Enryakuji and the warrior monks of Hiezan pop up fairly often. New temple? Burn it to the ground. Warlord expanding territory? Back off buddy. They're so common in Japanese history that I tend to see them and the Tendai sect in general as being rather obnoxious and intolerant. But this is the mothership, the biggest and greatest, the biggest pain in the butt possible! And yet I couldn't have cared less.

When refreshing my history on the temple and even reading some other posts about it, they kept referencing the same things about why they liked it. "It's so serene and peaceful!" Yeah, I guess it is, but no more than most of the other places I wrote about, and it would be a lot more serene if I wasn't fighting people for a goshuin. "The history is truly humbling." I call BS on that. This may just be my education butting in on these matters, but again, the Hiezan history is nothing that I would describe as being very Buddhist. The temple is very grand, but some may not know that Hiezan, the mountain itself, is an auspicious landmark which has been looked upon with great reverence by the people of Kyoto for thousands of years. In addition, I find that the most humbling temples are the ones truly hidden away, not standing over the Kyoto area and receiving generous donations from the noble families below.

The two things I truly give to Enryakuji are the views and the transportation (at least getting to the temple). Hiezan stands out from the surrounding mountains and a short hike from the complex to the summit gives visitors a breathtaking view of the Kansai plain. On the day I was there in mid-Autumn, I could see from the northern mountains of Kyoto Prefecture to the skyscrapers of Osaka and Kobe (a rarity to be sure). The sights and sounds of the woods were also extremely welcome as they reminded me of the redwoods of home. Here and there little stone Buddhas and Bodhisattvas adorned the trails, fire roads, and trees to the summit.

The transportation bothered me. I took a bus from Gion to Hiezan, which was naturally packed full of people considering the time of year I was there. It was uncomfortable but not unexpected. The bad part was trying to get back down. Though there are city buses dropping off visitors at Hiezan almost one every ten minutes, there is only one regular sized city bus taking people back every hour. Result? Waiting in a line for two hours to get back down the mountain. That doesn't sound too bad, more uncomfortable than bad, but let me just remind you, or inform you if you don't know, that Kyoto is not known for its mild weather. It's pretty much either super hot or super cold. This day was super cold and I hated every moment of it. I had Sophie's line from "Howl's Moving Castle" stuck in my head. "It's so cold! I'm fatter than ever but the wind blows right through me!" There are other ways to get up and down the mountain which is wonderful. All I can say is DON'T TAKE THE BUS!!!

All in all, the temple was fine. I'm not sure if I'll ever want to take the day trip up there again considering how much of a pain it was. The way I see it: if it's the temple's history you're after then go for it; it's a beautiful temple with lots of stories to tell. If you're just going to see one of any number of temples in the Kyoto area, then you'd be better off spending your time and money somewhere else. If you're reading this then you've at least gotten an idea of how many places I've been to prior to going to Hiezan. I'm a bunka otaku (culture nerd), what can I say? But honestly, this complex never wowed me. Maybe I was expecting too much. Maybe my standards are too high considering a temple of this magnitude. At the end of the day, I'm not thinking fondly of my time at Enryakuji and I'm not planning my next visit anytime soon.

Some of the graves behind the temple complex.

Higashi and Nishi Honganji (Hongwanji)

December 19, 2017 by Brennan Duff in Temples

Nishi and Higashi (West and East respectively) Honganji are a pair of sister temples located in the heart of Kyoto. Though the buildings were built in the late 16th early 17th centuries, they were once a single temple that was constantly relocated throughout time. Originally built as a temple to house the cremated remains of monk Shinran Shonin (1173-1263), the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism, the temple and the cremated remains were moved periodically around the Kyoto and Osaka areas. Sometimes the temple would be burned down due to succession disputes, wars boiling over, and even by other temples like Enryakuji feeling threatened by the growing success of the Honganji temple.

In 1591 Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a supporter of the Honganji temple, moved Honganji from Osaka to its present location in Kyoto. However, a succession dispute arose following the death of the 11th head monk Kennyo. The fight was between the eldest son Kyonyo and the third son Junnyo. The tension arose from sides taken in the Ishiyama War between Honganji and its backers vs Oda Nobunaga and his forces. Oda wanted the temple site in Osaka for its strategic position and the temple said no. Pretty simple. After 10 years of fighting, head monk Kennyo agreed to reconcile with Oda, but eldest son Kyonyo wanted to continue the resistance. After Oda was assassinated in 1582, his general, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, took control and unified Japan. That's when he donated the land and helped the temple move. So when Kennyo died, Kyonyo assumed the title of the 12th head monk as eldest son, but upon officiation of Kennyo's will as done by Toyotomi, the title of head monk was instead passed to the third son Junnyo. Later still in 1602, Kyonyo would build his own temple on a plot of land donated by future shogun and founder of the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The plot of land was only a few blocks east of the original temple. As time passed, Junnyo's temple, the original Honganji, was renamed Nishi Honganji, and the second temple founded by Kyonyo was named Higashi Honganji. Both prospered significantly and are home to National Treasures as well as Important Cultural Items.

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

For all you history nerds out there, isn't this great? This is one temple, split in two, in the heart of Kyoto, supported by two of the Three Great Unifiers, fought against the other one, burned down by them Hiezan screwballs, and yet kept collecting and focusing massive amounts of support from patrons despite being burned down, moved, burned again, moved, and finally turned into a newt which got better. I mean really! If you ever wanted a bit of drama in your life look no further. And what's better? They're friggin’ beautiful!!! The feel of the wood under your feet, the large lecture halls, the exquisite carved figures, cast iron fountains, etc. I could go on but I won't. Well, that's a lie because I totally will! Anyways, Nishi and Higashi Honganji are the answers to the prayers of those who really want to see an important institution in the Kyoto area with breathtaking beauty but is devoid of crowds. I mean really! If you're like me but you haven't been here then shame on you. This is one of the best kept secrets in Kyoto. It's so well kept I'm confident I can write about this as much as I want and the crowds still won't get any larger! Ok, that's also partially because I'm pretty sure I'm the only person reading my own posts, but hey! I get to re-live some of my best experiences writing this all out.

Funny thing, these temples are SUPER similar. So first, they both pretty much follow the same teachings: when you die you call out the name of Amida Buddha who picks you up in his heavenly stretch limo filled with his everlasting squad of Bodhisattvas, Immortals, and other supporting cast to take you to the Pureland in the West (based on the Chinese Daoist "Western Paradise") where the dead can find enlightenment in a karmically pure land. Oh, and they thank the monk Shinran for totally telling everyone about this in Japan. Anyways, the difference is that Higashi Honganji is more extreme with its views and that's pretty much it. But it's not just teachings that are practically identical, it's also the temple structures. The first time I was visiting these temples one of them was under construction so it was really clear that I had gone to Nishi Honganji (no construction) and then Higashi Honganji (totes construction). But visiting with my friend again a few weeks ago, I couldn't tell which temple I was at. Without the construction, THE LAYOUT IS EXACTLY THE SAME!!!!! Even writing this I've had to go back through my photos and my notes to figure out which temple I am actually looking at because I really cannot tell the difference. All I can say is that I translated the comment-card sign at Higashi Honganji into English and when I came back they were using it, so you’re welcome heathens!!! MUAHAHAHA!!!

Upside: these temples are super close to Tôji and Kyoto station so it's very easy to get there though not by public transportation (I recommend walking). Downside: no goshuin so don't expect to find any. Upside: they sell incense that smells amazingly good. I bought myself a box and I'm not done yet!!! Downside: . . . I can't think of one right now. . .

Yakushiji

August 22, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Temples

Yakushiji is a temple of the Hosso sect of Buddhism southwest from the city of Nara. Built in the 7th century by Emperor Temmu, the temple is named after and dedicated to the medicine Buddha Yakushi because the Empress was suffering from illness. Yakushiji, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also home to a number of National Treasures identified by the Japanese government including several halls, statues, and the eastern of the temple's two pagodas being the only structure from the 8th century to survive the flames that have destroyed the temple on many occasions. There is a a steady procession of construction projects moving through to renovate and repair the temple structures.

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

Yakushiji is a great look into the past. Considered one of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, Yakushiji is one of the oldest of the great temples and is also the premier temple devoted to the medicine Buddha Yakushi. Walking around the temple grounds felt very strange to an extent because although it was adjacent to a train station, I felt very cut off from the world- in a good way. There were other visitors but largely I felt like I was on my own walking around the temple. The interior of the halls were truly brilliant with bright colors and motifs. With the lack of other visitors, I felt like I was really given the chance to make a personal connection to the temple and to the artifacts that are housed within, something that should not be overlooked when planning which temples to visit.

One of my favorite aspects of the temple is how well it balances visual elegance while also appearing very serene. Yakushiji was built in a much different time from more iconic luscious temples like Ginkakuji or Ryôanji which are temples of the Zen sect of Buddhism and therefore seek to incorporate a strong sense of natural beauty. Yakushiji was constructed during an ancient time when the Emperor had real political power to show off the influence of the Imperial family as the nation adopted the Chinese Imperial model of ostentatious living. In that sense, the red-orange color of the buildings screams to be noticed and the gilt braces and eaves of the halls reflect the prowess of the Emperor, while the quiet interiors with flowers and silk and the large open areas of the temple allow the viewer to enjoy the beauty of the temple without being overburdened.

The Main Hall of Yakushiji housing the main Yakushi Triad with the scaffolding of the Eastern Pagoda undergoing renovations until 2019.

The Eastern Pagoda: the oldest surviving building since the 8th century.

The Lecture hall of Yakushiji. Inside is another collection of Yakushi Triad statues..

Tôdaiji

May 10, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Temples

Tôdaiji is a monumental temple in the city of Nara and was opened in 752 following the Eye-Opening Ceremony to the Buddha housed within. Founded by Emperor Shômu, Tôdaiji was built to be the center of all Buddhism in Japan.

For the casual: 11. For the educated: 11.

If you're one of the few people to probably read through all of my posts (and thank you so much to those folks), you've probably noticed that only once before have I rated a location outside of my 1-10 scale, and there is a reason why this temple also has 11 out of 10 on my scale. In addition, you may have noticed that I didn't really write anything in the first section, and that's because I wanted to cover most of that information here in my "geek-out" section.

Tôdaiji essentially translates into "The Great Eastern Temple," and that title is no exaggeration. Tôdaiji is a wonder of the world, a feast of the senses, and a cathedral of the Buddhist world. Tôdaiji, like many old temple complexes, has lost many of its buildings to fires, earthquakes, and political struggles. However, the original size of the temple complex can be felt as you walk the long distance from the start of the main road, through the two gates, and then finally to the temple itself. At the first gate, the Great South Gate, visitors get to meet the two greatest Nio Guardians. These Nio Guardians embody and take the role of Agyô and Ungyô, the guardians of pilgrims. The Nio Guardians are 8.4 meters tall (27.5 ft.), and were constructed at the turn of the 13th century after being burned down in the war between the Taira and Minamoto samurai clans. The statues were cleaned up in 1988 and were found to have sutras concealed within. Buddhist piñata anyone?

The next gate represents the boundary to the Daibutsudô, the Hall of the Great Buddha, and it too has a pair of Nio Guardians although these two are far overshadowed by the prior. The Daibutsudô is hard to picture in size, especially when you consider that the Daibutsudô at Tôdaiji is the largest wooden structure IN THE WORLD!!! Then things get even harder to imagine when you learn that the current Daibutsudô was built in 1692 with funding from the Tokugawa Shogunate, but this Daibutsudô is only 2/3rds the size of the ORIGINAL Daibutsudô. So how big is that? That's 48.2 meters tall (158 ft.) and 57 meters (187 ft.) by 50.4 meters (167 ft.). That's a huge building, but if that's still too difficult to picture in your head, inside the Daibutsudô there are models of the various Daibutsudô that have stood.

Inside the Daibutsudô is a bronze statue of Vairocana, known as Dainichi Nyorai in Japanese, and The Universal Buddha in English. Vairocana is what Sakyamuni (the Historical Buddha) became once he passed on and attained true enlightenment. This statue of Vairocana is 15 meters (49 ft.) tall and made of bronze, making it one of the largest bronze Buddhist statues in the world. Surrounding the image of Vairocana in the mandarla (Buddhist halo) are smaller images of Vairocana, showing how as the Universal Buddha, he radiates his light to all worlds at all points in time. Like all images of the Buddha, Vairocana is flanked by two Bodhisattva who are equally massive. These Bodhisattva serve as aids and the final defense to protect the Buddha from evil spirits. Fun fact: when they clean the statue, one of the people actually sits in his palm as he cleans.

One of the two Nio Guardians at the Great South Gate. This one is Ungyô, representing the end of all things.

The Daibutsudô of Tôdaiji. The window directly above the entrance is opened to reveal the face of Vairocana. This is installed so that in the older ages, even commoners who were unable to enter the temple at the time could make a visual connection t… — The Daibutsudô of Tôdaiji. The window directly above the entrance is opened to reveal the face of Vairocana. This is installed so that in the older ages, even commoners who were unable to enter the temple at the time could make a visual connection to the Buddha.

I would totally keep posting the multitude of photos that I have of the temple, but it's probably better if I stop now and let you take your own. Enjoy!!!