Senkoji

Senkoji is a rather extraordinary temple on Awaji Island, a kind of temple I didn’t know about until later. For one, the temple sits at the summit of Senzan, one of the tallest mountains on Awaji and said to be the first mountain created by the gods in Japan’s origin myth. Because it’s so tall and rather solitary in its local, it’s sometimes referred to as “Awaji Fuji” by local residents. The temple is home to Senju Kannon, the thousand-armed Kannon Bodhisattva.

For the casual: 3. For the educated: 6

I didn’t realize it until later, but I had never been to a temple sitting at the summit of a mountain before. I kind of thought that would be something I had done somewhere in my travels, but until I think of one, I haven’t. I’ve been to places with a temple near the summit, ususally just down the hill a ways, but never at the very summit.  You’d think that with how auspicious the summit of a mountain is that there would be more temples at the top, but apparently not. Shrines on the other hand are a bit different because although a mountain shrine will have the main facilities at the base or even near the top, the summit usually has at least a small altar or home for the god.

Anyways, I did enjoy my little excursion to the summit to visit Senkoji. It’s a lovely little temple with great views of the surrounding island (if maintenance has clipped a tree or two). Many stray cats were there lounging in the sun while a great flurry of bugs whistled by in the summer heat. There are several flights of stairs to the summit and each level has a building or two. I’m still not sure if a goshuin can be purchased at the temple, but a goshuincho is available.

The temple itself is quite lovely for its small size with a four story pagoda which is visible from the town below, a bronze bell, and a main hall flanked by two stone boars. Up here, there was a facinating swarm of dragonflies darting through the air. Walking around the summit, it became easy to understand why there is a shrine to Amaterasu-Omikami, the sun goddess.

Senkoji is certainly a difficult location to get to without a car, and the climb, although not particularly long, is steep. For those visiting from off the island, I would recommend a bus ride to Sumoto and then hiring a taxi to take you to the mountain top. Therefore I’m not positive I can convince most people to take the time to visit this remote location, but I enjoyed my time and for that I’m content.

 

Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji

Kawasaki Dashi Heikenji, or more commonly as Kawasaki Daishi, is a temple with an origin story very similar to that of Sensôji. The story goes that a samurai by the name of Kanenori blundered and was sent into exile from his home in modern Aichi Prefecture to Kawasaki. He lived his new life as a fisherman and was deeply devoted to the teachings of Buddhism to find redemption for his mistakes. One night, he had a dream of Kobo Daishi, famed monk and founder of Koya-san. In the dream, Kobo Daishi instructed Kanenori to go fishing and his catch will bring him peace. The next day, Kanenori went fishing and found a spot that seemed brighter than normal. He cast his net and pulled up a wooden statue of the venerated Kobo Daishi. He brought the statue to his local priest, a man who had met Kobo Daishi, and together they began building the temple that would become Kawasaki Daishi.

For the casual: 6. For the educated: 7.

If you’re willing to make the little trip out to the temple, I definitely recommend it. The temple is on the larger side, but the layout feels very relaxed and open. I was particularly a fan of the main hall with its beautiful ornamentation and wonderful smell of incense. A small market lines the path to the temple so be sure to stop by for some snacks, some sweets, and wonderful conversation. In spring the temple is affected by the Kanayama Matsuri and becomes quite the popular location.

 

Daisho-in

Daisho-in is the primary Buddhist temple on the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima and also serves as the starting point for the holy pilgrimage from the shores of the island to its mountainous summit. Though it doesn’t always feel like it, this temple has received imperial patronage over the years and was even said to have been founded by Kukai, the founder of Koya-san.  The temple is mainly located on the hillside looking down on the tidal flats, but there are several buildings in a variety of locations ranging from the Kannon-dô behind Itsukushima Jinja, to several halls along the climb to the mountain summit.

For the casual: 8. For the educated: 7.

I think my only criticism is about something that it can’t really control: it’s just not as stunning as Itsukushima Jinja. It’s a crazy criticism I know, but after the jovial brightness of vermillian paint, the smell and sight of the crystal blue tidal flats, and the looming statement that is the water torii, going to this temple of dark browns and hints of gold, it just doesn’t have the same presence. In any other place, I think I would be ranking this temple higher, but again, the competition is just on another level all together. That being said, I think that Daisho-in is one of the nicer temples around. There are a series of halls and noted locations within the temple grounds wich bring their own unique taste to the complex. From sutra prayer wheels lining the main stairs to the complex to a cave of sandstone carvings and lanters. Each turn a visitor takes will change the style, the world, and the art available for viewing. The stream of water coming down from the mountain brings in that lovely sound of bubbling water while several waterfalls just upstream add that roaring rush of noise. All of this water and moisture nourishes the rich blanket of moss which covers most of the temple off the stone paths.

I think one of the best perks of this temple is the lack of large crowds. Sure there will be more than a few people visiting the temple and one time, and the narrow layout of the grounds will make even a small group of people feel like a crowd, it really isn’t all that crowded. After visiting Itsukushima Jinja, a place which will almost always have crowds, it’s a welcome escape from it all to make the quick walk through the small town to Daisho-in where you can get a really fantastic view of the sea.

As mentioned before, the climb to the top of the island starts on a gravel trail next to the temple entrance, but I would like to share a warning that the trail is steep and takes about an hour to climb. If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, feel free to follow the signs to the ropeway which will take visitors up to a secondary peak for a small price. From this secondary peak there is a trail which will join with the main trail from the temple to reach the summit.

 

Shôsha-zan (Engyôji)

A little north of Himeji-jô in the city of Himeji, atop a mountain looking over the plain, sits one of the more photogenic temples in the Kansai area, one which some may recognize it without realizing.  Engyôji, as it’s formally known, is a premier temple complex used in movies across Japanese cinema and even in American films like “The Last Samurai.” With open courtyards and buildings which conform to the mountainside, it’s easy to see why the temple is a popular location to visit.

Though the exact age of the temple is unknown, in 2018 Shôsha-zan celebrated 1,300 years since it was established by a traveling monk as the temple it is today, but buildings were on the grounds long before that.

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

Though I would say that this complex doesn’t have the je ne sais quoit things which would give it a 10 in my mind, I wholeheartedly believe that this is one of the best temples to visit in the Kansai area. I think the only thing that keeps the massive crowds at bay is its location outside of the major cities. Yes, Himeji is a major city, but it really isn’t when compared to the actual major cities nearby: Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto. Especially because this temple is not in Kyoto I believe that the temple is largely left a secret from unknowing eyes. At least in my mind, people that come to Himeji are primarily interested in going to the castle and spending their time there, while time in and around temples is reserved for Kyoto and its massive collection of holy sites. As a result, I think that the majority of foreign visitors to the temple are either those living in Japan, or those planning on spending more than one day in Himeji and elect to do the castle one day and the temple the next. But this is all my opinion and I have no facts to support this idea.

Here’s the bottom line: this temple is beautiful and I think everyone should visit at least once. The ride up the mountain-side in the ropeway has some teaser views of the northern Himeji area, and the climb up to the temple itself has some lookouts where you can see even farther. Also, let me quickly clarify, I just said that there is a climb up to the temple, and while that is true, it’s nothing outside of the ordinary. It’s short but steep and lined with cool statues of Bodhisattvas, most of which are different incarnations of Kannon, and each one allows for a brief rest before climbing another 20 meters to the next one for a break. I believe I’ve mentioned in past posts that mountains in Japan are never gentle, but they are usually very short and don’t take too long to get to the top. This trail I would estimate takes about 10-15 min but may take longer depending on how many statues you want to look at.

Like most complexes in Japan, Engyôji has some buildings that are off limits to most visitors, and the first few buildings that you come across fall into that category. It isn’t until at least a while later that the temple opens up to one of the main halls standing tall above the pathways. This hall, the Maniden, is the central hall of the complex and is a great place for collecting goshuin, talismans, and other prayer tools for your home. I highly recommend taking a look at the wood carving ornamentation on the support beams inside and outside. Swirling imagry that has been darkened by hundreds of years of incense burning.

The key section to the complex is just up the hill from the Maniden and it’s a grouping of three buildings to form a courtyard. Together the three buildings are appropriately called the Mitsunodo (The Three Halls) and it consists of the Daikodo (the Main Hall), Jikido (the lodging hall which is now used as a museum for the temple’s treasures), and the Jyogyodo (the Gymnasium). This part of the temple was used in “The Last Samurai” and is one of the primary marketing pushes made by the temple to bring in more visitors. Across from the courtyard is a small enclosure of small buildings which designated the mausoleums of the Honda lords, the feudal family which controled Himeji Castle.

The group I was with wanted to leave so I didn’t get a chance to see some of the other groupings of smaller buildings around the complex, but there is a bell tower, a graveyard, and several meditation halls used by the staff. For casual viewers, the above-mentioned main halls are what you really want to see. Practically everything else I would recommend for people with a deeper background in Japanese history and art history. But hey, that doesn’t mean that everyone can find something interesting and new in any scenario. So please enjoy the temple, make a reservation for lunch at a small cafe by the Maniden, and enjoy the lush forests that surround you.