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..

Byôdô-in and the Hôôdô

April 18, 2016 by Brennan Duff in Temples

Byôdô-in is a Buddhist temple of the Jodo Pure Land sect in the city of Uji just south of Kyoto. Originally built in 998 as a villa for renowned Heian-period aristocrat Fujiwara Michinaga, it was later converted into a temple by Michinaga's son Yorimichi in 1052. The crown jewel of Byôdô-in is a hall called the Hôôdô, or Phoenix Hall. Though the rest of the temple has been lost to repetitive fires, the Hôôdô has not and stands as one of the few buildings in Japan that are still standing from the Heian Period. The Hôôdô is known for its striking architecture, but it is also renown for its statue of Amida Buddha carved by Jocho, one of the most celebrated sculptors of the time. Jocho's statues represent the figures with a very comfortable and relaxed body shape. With the Amida Buddha in the Hôôdô, Amida has a gentle round face and rounded shoulders to show that he is at peace, a contrast to the stern and rigid statues that predate it. The combination of the building and the statue makes the Hôôdô one of the most iconic buildings in Japan. If visitors cannot make it there, you can find it on the back of the 10 yen coin.

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

As much as I love this hall, I find it very hard for people to appreciate it without the historical and art historical significance being explained, and as much as I would love to explain it to everyone, I really don't have the time or space to write it all out. So please believe me when I say that if you don't know the nitty-gritty significance but want to see a building that radiates history, please oh please go to Byôdô-in. There is a museum right behind the hall which houses many of the treasures that once were kept in the temple.

Introduction to Temples

September 27, 2015 by Brennan Duff in Temples

The term "temple", when used in reference to structures in Japan, is associated with structures belonging to Buddhism. Buddhism was introduced to Japan through trade contacts with China and Korea in the sixth century and in comparison to other waves of faith in the world, it was taken in fairly easily. Well, of course there were disputes, but there wasn’t a massive war or religious cleansing which can be found in other parts of world history. Buddhas and Bodhisattva can be passed off as another embodiment of Shinto deities, a fun fact which can be found often if there is a shrine to local deities with a temple nearby.

A common understanding of Japanese culture states that the Japanese "are born by Shinto and die by Buddhism". This is actually correct. Ceremonies regarding birth and marriage in Japan take place at Shinto shrines, but according to Shinto, death is an unholy thing and is not something which is allowed to be interacted with by the living. For this reason, until Buddhism was introduced, there was no singular location or palace for the King of Japan; there are many many sites in the Kansai plain where these ancient mansions are found. With Buddhism, death is a natural part of life and a cleansing ritual is all that is needed to help the spirit of the dead find enlightenment while removing the physical area left behind of any blights. To this affect, to pray for the dead, one prays at a Buddhist temple.

Buddhist temples are often very easy to identify both by name and by architecture. By name, they will end with "-ji" or with "dera", both of which are readings of the character 寺. Occasionally one might find a place that ends with "-in", but those are often found when referring to a hall within a temple complex. However, any temple which ends with the “-in” title, was once a building serving another perpose, likely the home of a lord or emperor before being converted into a temple. By architecture, temples usually adorn the roofs with tiles and the wood used to construct the complex is stained for longevity. Also, if you see a rock garden or a pagoda: temple.

There are many souveniers which can be purchased at temples across Japan. First and foremost are souvenirs which mainly consist of good luck charms and the like. These items are often very affordable and are unique to the temple where it was purchased. If the temple has a specific deity which it is known for, images and such of that deity are available for any and all private forms of worship at home. Another souvenir which is highly recommended is the goshuinchô, an item which I have added a page about for greater detail.

Many temples will have incense pits in front of the main hall. These incense pits are large metal containers usually already filled with piles of ash from years of contributions from visitors. Visitors can purchase a roll of incense usually for 100 yen, which is then lit and added to the pit. Be careful not to blow on the incense since breath is considered tainted or unholy and will be seen as bad luck rather than good. The smoke from incense is supposed to bring good luck and health, so visitors waft the smoke over their heads and to areas that they would like healed. Just be careful of wind direction, otherwise you'll be like me on my first try and be wafting smoke to your eyes to get healed following the burning sensation we all love from smoke.

Also, a warning. Western visitors will probably get a bit of culture shock when they see the number of swastikas all around Japan. DO NOT PANIC!!!!!! It is understandable that many might view this symbol as a symbol of hate and violence at the hands of the Nazi party in Germany. Though Japan was allied with Germany in WWII, this symbol is not analogous. In Japan, this symbol is called a Manji and is almost the exact opposite in meaning of the German swastika. The manji is essentially the wheel of life with the two vertical arms representing the connection between heaven and earth while the horizontal arms connect light and dark. This symbol is of Hindu origin and embodies how life flows on while keeping everything connected. Visitors will find this symbol on maps to represent the location of a temple, they may be present on souvenirs from temple shops, and they will be on objects around and in the temple. If as a visitor you cannot stand the site of this symbol, it would be best to stick to tourists sites of popular culture rather than historical and spiritual culture in Japan. It is good to know what the swastika means in a Western society, but the manji is far older than Westen culture and is benign in Buddhist society.