Trip photo blogging...

Nagano, in and around the Zenkoji temple grounds...

Some notes about Nagano:

 

*  It has lots and lots of foreign tourists milling around in winter, obviously for the skiing and snow sports.  The train station is always packed.   Very different from the town we were in before that - Toyama (about which I am yet to write) - where I barely can recall seeing a foreign tourist (or at least, a Caucasian one.)

 

*   The biggest tourist attraction in the town itself would have to be the Zenkoji temple, which is on large, beautiful grounds, and has a very attractive street leading up to it.

 

*   The history of this temple is pretty interesting, and includes a mystery statue which is supposed to still exist, but as it seems no one has seen it for about 1,400 years (give or take), who knows!?: 

The history of Zenkoji temple started in 642, when Yoshimitsu Honda enshrined a Buddhist Image at the present site.
The main image was created in India and introduced into Japan with Buddhism via Paekche in Korean Peninsula in 552. It is called “The Image of Sangoku Denrai” in Japanese.
The image has been believed to lead all the people to the Buddhist Pure Land regardless of their status, gender or creed. It has been earnestly worshipped by many people from those in power at the time to the common people.
The main image was completely hidden from the people in 654, and since then no one has ever been allowed to see it.
The temple name “Zenkoji” literally means “Yoshimitsu’ s temple”. It is read as “Zenkoji” by another way of reading of the Chinese characters. 

 The Wikipedia explanation goes into more detail: 

Zenkō-ji was founded before Buddhism in Japan split into several different sects. It currently belongs to both the Tendai and Jōdoshū schools of Mahayana Buddhism, and is co-managed by twenty-five priests from the former school, and fourteen from the latter. The temple enshrines images of the Amida Buddha. According to legend, the image, having caused dispute between two clans, was dumped into a canal. It was later rescued by Honda Yoshimitsu. The temple was thus named "Zenkō," according to the Chinese transliteration of Yoshimitsu's name.

The main Buddhist image is a hibutsu (secret Buddha), a hidden Buddha statue, not shown to the public. This hibutsu is rumored to be the first Buddha statue to ever be brought to Japan. The commandments of the temple require the absolute secrecy of the statue, prohibiting it to be shown to anyone, including the chief priest of the temple. However, a replica of the statue (Maedachi Honzon) has been created which can be shown publicly once every six years in spring, in a ceremony called Gokaichō.

I'm finding it hard to track down a photo of the replica hibutsu, actually.

 

But, I would love to know more about where it is supposed to be locked away.

 

*   The main hall (rebuilt after a fire, like so many old Japanese temples, in 1707) has a pilgrimage gimmick, I think you could call it - a dark tunnel you grope your way through under the main altar.  

 

After paying your respects before the altar, take the stairs down to the underground passage located under the main hall. Once inside, you are in complete darkness, only able to move forward by touching the wall beside you. Somewhere along the path, you’ll find the “Key of Enlightenment,” a metal latch fixed directly below the temple’s hidden Buddha statue. Touching the latch is believed to create a direct connection with the hidden Buddha statue of Zenkoji and bring good fortune.

I think I successfully touched it - although I did not fully understand the significance that I am now (possibly) enlightened.  

It reminded me of the other famous temple "gimmick" - crawling through "Buddha's nostril" (not literally!) at the awesome Todaji Temple in Nara.   (If you had to see the ultimate Japanese temple, that would be the one I recommend.)    

*  Bear in mind - visiting the temple in winter involves removing your shoes, and your feet will quickly turn to blocks of ice and encourage you not to linger too long inside the temple, and tunnel.

*  There is a museum with lots of interesting Buddhist artwork, but again, no shoes, no photos - makes a winter visit a bit of an ordeal!

So, all of the photos here are around the temple complex. 

If you enlarge the sign, you will see the bell is from 1667 - and although it doesn't say where it was made, there is a good chance it came from Takaoka City, near Toyama, which we had been in the day before.

 

That city is home to another, smaller but very beautiful Zen temple with its own idiosyncratic figures, and I will have to post about that...