Nishi Honganji Temple

As I wrote in the previous post, on the morning of 1st May hubby and I visited Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto. Next, we visited Nishi Honganji Temple about which I will write in this post. I have written about the history of this temple in the previous post. Nishi Honganji Temple is formally known as Honganji and is the head temple of Jodo Shinshu Honganji-ha sect of Buddhism. Monk Shinran was the founder of Jodo Shinshu teachings. In 1591, Honganji Temple was built at Horikawa Shichijo, Kyoto by Toyotomi Hideyoshi after Ishiyama Honganji, the former head temple in Osaka, was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga. This Honganji Temple precincts was renamed as Nishi Honganji in 1602 when Tokugawa Ieyasu split the temple into two, the other being Higashi Honganji. In Nishi Honganji Temple precincts there are many buildings built around the 17th century. Some of these structures are designated as national important cultural properties and several other structures are designated as national treasures that represent the culture of the transitional time from Azuchi-Momoyama period through the beginning of Edo period. In 1994, the entire precinct was designated as a UNESCO world cultural heritage site.

Nishi Honganji Temple is located about 1.4 kilometers northwest of Kyoto railway station and 1.3 kilometers west of Higashi Honganji Temple. The east side of the temple faces Horikawa Street, and is to the north of Shichijo Street. It took us about 15 minutes to walk from Higashi Honganji to Nishi Honganji Temple. We reached the front of Goeidomon Founder’s Hall Gate, which is one of the main gates located on the east side of Nishi Honganji Temple complex. The gate is an impressive structure and has a beautiful lantern hanging from its roof. We took several photos of the gate from various angles and positions.

Goeidomon Founder’s Hall Gate as viewed from the east outside the temple complex

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from the east

Lantern hanging from the roof of the gate

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from the southwest inside the temple precinct

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from the northwest

On entering the temple precincts, we saw a huge 400 year old Ginkgo tree as well as a lotus shaped water fountain to our right. Lotus is a central symbol of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.

Hubby standing in front of a map of the temple precincts

Ginkgo tree

Lotus shaped water fountain

Goeido Founder’s Hall is located to the west of Goeidomon Gate inside the temple complex. Goeido Hall was rebuilt in 1636, and a major restoration work was completed in April 2009. The hall is a large wooden structure that has a width of 62 meters and a depth of 48 meters, and stands 29 meters tall. The centerpiece of the altar consists of a wooden statue of Monk Shinran. Important services and events are held at this hall. The building is an important cultural property. Presently, the front of the hall is covered with a white sheet like structure in preparation of the memorial services and commemorative events that are being held this year to mark the occasion of 750th anniversary of the death of Monk Shinran. Although we could not enter inside the hall from its front entrance, we could enter through a side corridor passage that connects Goeido Hall and another hall named Amidado.

Goeido Hall

Next, we moved towards the northern area inside this section of the temple precincts. Here we saw a gate named Amidadomon which is located to the north of Goeidomon Gate, on the east side of the temple complex. Amidadomon is a grand structure and is the entrance gate for Amidado Hall. We took several photos of the gate from various angles and positions.

Amidadomon Gate as viewed from the southwest inside the temple precincts

I am standing in front of Amidadomon Gate

Amidadomon Gate as viewed from the west

Amidadomon Gate as viewed from the northwest

I washed my hands at a water house located slightly southwest of Amidadomon Gate inside the temple precincts. Washing the hands is a symbolic act to clean the mind and body of impurity.

Water house and Amidado hall inside the temple precincts

Water house as viewed from the north

Water house as viewed from the west

Amidado Hall is located to the west of Amidadomon Gate inside the temple complex. Amidado Hall was rebuilt in 1760. The hall is a wooden structure that has a width of 45 meters and a depth of 42 meters, and stands 25 meters tall. A wooden statue of Amida Nyorai is enshrined in the central altar, flanked by portraits of the seven patriarchs from India, China, and Japan. This building is also known as Hondo Main Hall and is an important cultural property. The verandah as well as inside the hall is elegantly decorated. It was very serene and peaceful atmosphere inside the hall and I prayed here for some time.

Amidado Hall as viewed from the east

Hubby standing in front of Amidado Hall

I am standing in front of Amidado Hall

Amidado Hall as viewed from the northeast

Hubby standing on the verandah on the east side of Amidado Hall

Lantern hanging from the roof of the verandah on the east side of Amidado Hall

Hubby standing on the verandah on the south side of Amidado Hall

There is a roofed passage corridor that connects Amidado Hall and Goeido Hall. From the south side of Amidado Hall, we walked on this corridor and reached the north side of Goeido Hall. The corridor roof is lined with hanging metal lanterns. There was a beautiful decoration kept just outside the corridor. As I mentioned earlier the front entrance of Goeido Hall was closed, and so we entered inside Goeido Hall from a small north entrance and prayed. Afterwards we returned back to the front of Amidado Hall via the connecting corridor. We were a bit tired of walking since morning and so we rested on the verandah of Amidado Hall for some time.

Roofed passage corridor connecting Amidado Hall (right) and Goeido Hall (left)

Connecting corridor as viewed from the north

Connecting Corridor as viewed from the south

Beautiful decoration kept outside to the west of the corridor

Hubby taking rest on the verandah of Amidado Hall

Next, we saw a building named Sampai Kaikan located in the northeast corner of this section of the temple precincts. The building is used as a reception area for visitors and followers. We saw a huge bell displayed in front of this building. This bell was made in Heian period, weighs 1800 kilograms, and is 158.2 centimeters tall. The height to diameter ratio of the bell is high which makes the shape of the bell appear well balanced and slim. The bell initially belonged to Koryuji Temple in Kyoto. In 1547 it was moved to Ishiyama Honganji in Osaka, and in 1620 it was brought to Nishi Honganji in Kyoto. It is an important cultural property.

I am standing next to a bell on display

Kyozo Scripture Repository is located to the south of Sampai Kaikan. The building was built by Jakunyo, the 14th successor of Monk Shinran, to commemorate the 17th memorial anniversary of the 13th successor Ryonyo. The architectural design of Kyozo is wonderful. The building houses Daizokyo or the entire collection of Buddhist texts and scriptures published by Monk Tenkai in woodblock form. The writing of Daizokyo was completed in 1635 and presented to the temple by Tokugawa government in 1648. Kyozo is normally not open to the public for viewing except during special annual services.

Kyozo Scripture Repository

Afterwards we walked back to the southern area inside this section of the temple precincts. We saw Shoro bell tower located south of Goeidomon Gate on the eastern side of the temple complex. The wooden bell tower has beautiful colored carvings.

Shoro bell tower

Colored carvings on the bell tower

A wonderful building named Hiunkaku pavilion is located in the southeast corner of this section of the temple precincts. It is one of Kyoto’s three best pavilions along with Kinkakuji and Ginkakuji pavilions. The building is a three-storied structure originally built as Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s personal residence and was a part of his Kyoto palace named Jurakudai. It is thought that the pavilion was moved to the temple precincts in about 1610. The first floor contains the main reception rooms. Portraits of celebrated poets are painted on the walls of the second floor, and the star-gazing tower tops the pavilion. The building has shingled roof. This building is one of the finest examples of Azuchi-Momoyama period architecture and is designated as a national treasure. It is open for public viewing a few times a year, so we could only see a portion of the pavilion structure rising over a bamboo fence. From outside the fence, we could see a part of the second floor with paintings of poets on its walls, the third floor, and the shingled roof of these two floors.

Hiunkaku pavilion rising over the bamboo fence

Another view of the pavilion

Paintings of poets on the wall of the second floor of the pavilion

Next, we walked from the east towards the west in the southern area of this section of the temple precincts. To our right, located to the southwest of Goeido Hall, we saw another building named Shoin, which is a national treasure. It is a gorgeous structure of Azuchi-Momoyama period. The inside of the building is richly decorated with wall and screen paintings dating from early Edo period. Shoin Chambers consist of Taimensho Main Audience Hall and several auxiliary chambers such as the Chambers of Sparrows, Wild Geese, and Chrysanthemum. Taimensho Chamber was constructed separately from Shiro Shoin, located behind it, during Kanei era. The two were later brought together. Another group of rooms named Chambers of Waves, Tigers, and Drums are the oldest of Shoin Chambers and are important cultural property. The main entrance of Shoin building was not open and so I guess it is closed to the public. As we walked further towards the west, to our right we saw a few gates and a white fence that encloses Shoin building.

Genkan entrance gate of Shoin as viewed from the east

Roof of another Genkan gate of Shoin that leads to Chambers of Waves, Tigers, and Drums

Chujakumon gate and white fence enclosing Shoin, as viewed from the south

On walking further west in the southern area of the temple complex, we reached a main entrance hall named Ogenkan which is the entrance to the audience chambers and is located to the south of the chambers. Ogenkan Hall has Irimoya architectural style and has an undulated Chinese style gable on the front. The hall is utilized to receive guests on the occasion of formal observances. Although it is unknown when this hall was built, it already existed in 1760 during Monk Shinran’s 500th memorial observance.

Ogenkan Hall as viewed from the south

Closer view of Ogenkan Hall

Next, we saw Ogenkanmon Gate which is located to the south in front of Ogenkan Hall. This gate was completed in 1847 and has guardhouses on both the left and right, which reveals the importance of the gate.

Ogenkanmon Gate as viewed from the north

The gate was closed

From here, we turned around and started walking back towards the east in the southern section of the temple precincts. To our right, we saw Karamon Gate which stands before the audience chambers. It is a four pillared ceremonial gate with arched Chinese style roof of cypress bark. It is lacquered black and has painted carvings of dragons, lions, tigers, peacocks, and mythical beasts against backgrounds of clouds, peonies, pine trees, and bamboos. It is said to have served as the Imperial messenger gate at Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s Momoyama Castle in Fushumi, south of Kyoto. The gate shows the grand architectural style of Azuchi-Momoyama period and is designated as a national treasure. We took several photos of the gate from various positions and angles.

Karamon Gate as viewed from the northwest

Hubby standing in front of Karamon Gate

Karamon Gate as viewed from the north

Karamon Gate as viewed from the northeast

Details of carvings on the gate

Details of carvings on the gate

Details of carvings on the gate

We walked back to the eastern side of the temple complex and left the temple. We loved visiting Nishi Honganji Temple. Next, we visited Yasaka Shrine about which I will write in the next post.

Higashi Honganji Temple

As I wrote in the previous few posts, on 30th April hubby and I visited Kinkakuji, Ginkakuji, and Kiyomizudera temples in Kyoto. On 1st May we continued our visits to temples and shrines. In the morning, we first visited Higashi Honganji Temple about which I will write in this post. Higashi Honganji Temple is the more popular name of Shinshu Honbyo. It is the main temple of Shinshu Otaniha branch of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism whose founder was monk Shinran. After the death of Shinran in 1262, a mausoleum named Otani Sobyo was built at Otani in Kyoto, in which a figure of Shinran was enshrined. The mausoleum was built in cooperation with Shinran's daughter Kakushinni. The position of caretaker of the mausoleum was inherited from her by her first son Kakue, followed by her grandson Kakunyo. Kakunyo changed the name of the mausoleum to Honganji, which was then officially recognized as a temple. Later the temple became affiliated with Tendai sect temple named Shorenin and started following the traits of the sect. In 1457 Rennyo became the 8th successor who reformed Honganji Temple by abolishing Tendai sect services and established the format of chanting hymns composed by Shinran. However, Tendai monks of Mt. Hiei felt threatened and destroyed Honganji. Rennyo escaped to Omi province, and continued propagation of Shinran’s teachings in Yoshizaki in Echizen province and later in Kawachi province. Thereafter with the aim of rebuilding Honganji Temple, Rennyo headed to Kyoto in 1478. He built Honganji at Yamashina in Kyoto and a town developed around the temple. In 1532, the followers of Hokkeshu Nichiren sect feared the expansion of Honganji and burned down the temple at Yamashina. The 10th successor Shonyo fled to Ishiyama (present day Osaka) and established the main temple there. During the time of the 11th successor Kennyo, Oda Nobunaga demanded the possession of Osaka Honganji Temple because of its geographic location that was strategically ideal to bring the whole country under his rule. Honganji refused and fighting began in 1570 which is known as the Battle of Ishiyama. But finally in 1580 Osaka Honganji Temple was handed over to Nobunaga. Two years after Honganji exited from Osaka, Toyotomi Hideyoshi donated land in Tenma, Osaka and later in Horikawa Shichijo, Kyoto for rebuilding Honganji Temple. However in 1592, just after Honganji had moved to Kyoto, Kennyo passed away and was succeeded by his first son Kyonyo. A year later, a dispute concerning succession arose and Toyotomi Hideyoshi handed over the position of the successor to Kyonyo’s younger brother Junnyo. So in 1602, Kyonyo built another temple nearby in Karasuma Rokujo on land donated by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Thus, Honganji was split into two. The temple in Karasuma came to be called Higashi Honganji and the temple at Horikawa Shichijo is called Nishi Honganji. Most of the buildings in Higashi Honganji were destroyed by fire four times during Edo period and were rebuilt each time. The present buildings of Founder's hall and Amidado hall were reconstructed in 1895. During Meiji period in 1860s, an organization called Shinshu Otani was put in control of Higashi Honganji Temple. In 1987 the temple was renamed as Shinshu Honbyo. Presently the temple complex covers an area of 93140 square meters.

Higashi Honganji Temple is located about 0.7 km north of Kyoto railway station. From the railway station, it took us about ten minutes to walk up to the temple. The present temple complex is divided into two sections. The first section includes Founder’s Hall and Amidado Hall and the second section has several pavilions and inner halls. We visited only the first section. While walking towards the temple, hubby remembered about getting a very clear view of this temple through a telescope from the observation deck of Kyoto Tower that we had visited the previous day. On reaching the temple area, we walked past a small gate named Amidadomon which is located in the southeast corner of the complex. We continued walking for a few tens of steps and reached a grand main gate named Goeidomon Founder’s Hall Gate. There is a lotus shaped water fountain located outside the temple precincts right in front of Goeidomon Gate. Lotus is a central symbol of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.

Higashi Honganji Temple complex as viewed from the observation deck of Kyoto Tower

Lotus shaped water fountain

Goeidomon Gate is located on the eastern side of the temple precincts. The gate is a two storied building that was reconstructed in 1911. It is about 28 meters high and there is a plaque at the top of the second story on which the official name of the temple ‘Shinshu Honbyo’ is written. On the second floor of this building statues of Anan, Shaka Nyorai, and Miroku Bosatsu are enshrined. We did not visit the second floor. While entering inside the gate, we saw a beautiful lantern hanging from the roof of the gate building. We moved around inside the temple complex, and enjoyed the architecture, shape, and structure of the magnificent gate from various positions and angles. We took several photos of the gate.

Goeidomon Founder’s Hall Gate

Hubby standing in front of Goeidomon Gate

Lantern hanging from the roof of the gate

Enlarged view of the lantern

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from the west inside the temple complex

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from the southwest inside the temple complex

Enlarged view of the gate as viewed from the southwest

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from the northwest inside the temple complex

Enlarged view of the gate as viewed from the northwest

Admission to the grounds and various halls of the temple is free. We enjoyed walking inside the temple precincts. 2011 is the 750th anniversary of the death of monk Shinran, and several memorial services and commemorative events are being held this year to mark the occasion. We saw several notice boards in front of Goeidomon Gate as well as inside the temple precincts that gave information about memorial services and other special events. We also saw beautiful special decorations inside the temple precincts.

Hubby standing in front of a map of the temple complex

Information notice boards regarding the 750th death anniversary memorial service for monk Shinran located in front of Goeidomon Gate

A stage and beautiful special decorations in preparation for the memorial service

I am standing in front of a beautiful decoration

Hubby standing in front of another decoration

Next, I washed my hands at a water house located slightly southwest of Goeidomon Gate inside the temple precincts. Washing the hands is a symbolic act to clean the mind and body of impurity.

Water house

I am washing my hands at the water house

Goeido Founder’s Hall is located at the center of the temple precincts and is to the west of Goeidomon Gate. This is the most important place in the temple complex where an image of Shinran is enshrined. This hall is 76 meters long, 58 meters wide, and 38 meters high, and is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. The most recent reconstruction of the hall took 16 years and was completed in 1895. The hall has double-roofed structure. The roof has a total of about 175000 handmade roof tiles that were donated by followers from Mikawa province. There are 90 pillars supporting the structure of this hall. Interior of the hall contains 927 tatami mats and many sparkling lanterns. A seated statue of monk Shinran is kept on an altar. It was very serene and peaceful atmosphere inside the hall and I prayed here for some time.

Goeido Founder’s Hall as viewed from the east. The photo is taken from Goeidomon Gate.

Goeido Hall as viewed from the southeast

Hubby standing in front of Goeido Hall

The front area of Goeido Hall

Beautiful double-roofed structure of Goeido Hall

Image of monk Shinran at the altar inside Goeido Hall

Interior of Goeido Hall

Next, we saw a reception office named Sanpai Settaisho located in the northeast corner of this section of the temple precincts. The building was constructed in 1934 and is used as a reception area for visitors and followers.

Reception office as viewed from the south

After this we moved to the southern part of this section of the temple precincts, where Amidado Hall stands. This hall building is located to the south of Goeido Hall. In fact, these two hall buildings stand next to each other. Amidado Hall was reconstructed in 1895 and an image of Amida Nyorai is enshrined on the main altar. Presently, this entire hall building is encapsulated within a huge white metallic tent like structure for major renovation and repair works. So we could not enter inside this hall.

Amidado Hall encapsulated within a white tent like structure as viewed from the observation deck of Kyoto Tower

I am standing near the entrance of Amidado Hall. Water house and Goeidomon Gate are seen in the background.

Shoro bell tower is located at the south of this section of the temple precincts. The tower was completed in 1894 and is constructed entirely out of keyaki wood. The bell which hangs there has the year 1604 inscribed on it, which indicates the time period when Higashi Honganji Temple was first constructed.

Shoro bell tower

We saw a beautifully decorated gate named Amidadomon located to the east in front of Amidado Hall. This gate was originally built not as a gate for Amidado Hall but as an entrance for the followers of Edo period to come straight off the street into the temple precincts. In fact, we had to walk past this gate to enter the temple precincts from Goeidomon Gate. We saw many pigeons in front of Amidadomon Gate inside the temple complex. Hubby bought pigeon feed worth 100 Yen from a stall and fed them to the pigeons. He played with the pigeons for almost 20 minutes. While leaving the temple precincts from Amidadomon Gate, we noticed wonderful ornamental patterns on the gate door.

Amidadomon Gate as viewed from the west

Hubby playing with pigeons

Hubby feeding pigeons

Hubby feeding pigeons

Two cute pigeons

Hubby standing next to the door of Amidadomon Gate

Amidadomon Gate as viewed from the east from outside the temple precincts

Goeidomon Gate as viewed from Amidadomon Gate

We stayed inside the temple complex for about an hour. Next we visited Nishi Honganji Temple about which I will write in the next post.