, more commonly just , informally known as , is the administrative center of

Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of ...

. It is located in the foothills of

Mount Fuji , or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest p ...

in Kamijo,

Fujinomiya is a city located in central Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 132,507 in 56,655 households, and a population density of 340 persons per km². The total area of the city is . History The city name comes from ...

Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,637,998 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northea ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 by

Nikkō Shōnin , Buddhist name , was one of the six senior disciples of Nichiren and was the former Chief Priest of Kuon-ji temple in Mount Minobu, Japan. Various Nichiren sects in Japan claim to have been founded by Nikkō, the most prominent being Nichiren S ...

, one of Nichiren Daishonin's senior disciples, on a land parcel donated by the pious believer Daigyo Sonrei, commonly known as Nanjo Tokimitsu (1259—1332). The Head Temple is the home of the

Dai Gohonzon The Dai Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teachings, commonly known as the Dai Gohonzon (Japanese: 大御本尊 ''The Supreme (Great) Gohonzon'' or Honmon—Kaidan—no—Dai—Gohonzon, Japanese: 本門戒壇の大御本 ...

, Nichiren Shoshu's object of worship, which draws pilgrim believers from various countries. The temple's vast open grounds are also open to the public for sightseeing, though its religious buildings are restricted to non-believers. Accordingly, adherents of the

Soka Gakkai is a Japanese Buddhist religious movement based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese priest Nichiren as taught by its first three presidents Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, Jōsei Toda, and Daisaku Ikeda. It is the largest of the Japanese ...

are not permitted entrance to the Head Temple grounds.

Description

Taiseki-ji is Nichiren Shoshu's administrative center, and its Chief Priest is simultaneously the high priest () of Nichiren Shoshu. The current 68th High Priest is Nichinyo Hayase (1935 – Present) who assumed the position on 16 December 2005. Taiseki-ji is the home of the

, Nichiren Shoshu's object of worship. This image is visited by believers who come on personal pilgrimages, to participate in regular ceremonies, or to take part in large events such as study programs, and similar large meetings. The temple is known for numerous historically significant buildings and gardens, national cultural assets, as well as features like the old weeping cherry trees that line its ''Tatchū Sando'' (main path lined with lodging temples).

History

According to Nichiren Shoshu tradition, Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 by Nichiren's disciple Nikkō on a tract of land called donated by the district steward, ''Nanjo Shichiro Jiro Hyoe Taira no Tokimitsu'' (Buddhist name: ''Daigyo Sonrei'') (1259–1332). The name derives from an alternative reading of the

kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...

for Ōishi (大石), ''Tai (Big) - Seki (Stone)'', and the character ''Ji'' (寺), temple. Tokimitsu was a lay follower of

Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of B ...

's and consequently Nikko Shonin. Taiseki-ji started with one small temple building, the ''Mutsubo'' with six rooms, but grew gradually as Nikkō's disciples built sub-temples. It went through further growth phases during the mid-

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

and after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. According to Nichiren Shoshu doctrine, their religious founder Nichiren willed that the image be established with a national shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji with a special title named “Honmonji” when the conversion of

Japanese Emperor The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the wi ...

and widespread propagation was achieved. Due to its strong prohibition against accepting monetary donations from non-believers, there is no offertory box available at the temple. Believers are confirmed registered membership before they are allowed to give “Gokuyo” or offerings. There is also no '' Goshuincho'' (御朱印帳 or “red stamping” of Daimoku or

Talisman A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...

booklets normally sold for tourists, considered by the religion to be a form of

sacrilege Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object, site or person. This can take the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things. When the sacrilegious offence is verbal, it is called blasphemy, and when physical ...

. In addition, the Head Temple nor the religious stores outside Taiseki-ji does not accept any foreign currency except

Japanese Yen The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar (US$) and the euro. It is also widely used as a third reserve currency after the US dollar and the ...

towards any donation offerings, memorial service fees, food and lodging fees or any religious merchandise transactions et cetera.

Activities at the Head Temple

Gongyo

The Buddhist service of “Gongyo” (勤行 , Persevering Action) is the basic supplemental service of Hokkeko believers. It is conducted first as the

Ushitora Gongyo is a Buddhist liturgy service conducted in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. The service is traditionally held at 2:30 AM at the Kyakuden building of Taisekiji Head Temple, located within the lower slopes of Mount Fuji, Japan. It is the morning prayer ...

at the Dai Kyakuden (Grand Reception Hall), among other places throughout the Head Temple. In the past centuries, the service was performed in five different locations: * Facing the

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects. Terminology Al ...

direction * Facing the Mieido * Facing the Gohozo * Facing the Kyakuden * Facing the Mutsubo The sect, along with the other Fuji sects in the area followed the custom of reciting the Sutra chapters according to what Nichiren himself once did: * Junyoze — Reciting the prose (散文, “Sanbun”) of Chapter 2 * Seoge — Reciting the verse (自我偈, “Jigage”) of Chapter 2 * Chogyo — Reciting the prose (“Sanbun”) of Chapter 16 * Nyorai Juryo — Reciting the verse (“Jigage”) of Chapter 16 During the 1930s, the Gongyo service was shortened to a single format, initiated by religious convert Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and was approved by 57th High Priest Nissho Shonin. Today, some Nichiren Sects in the Mount Fuji area recite the full four versions of the 2nd and 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The current version of the Gongyo since the 1930s remains the following: the recitations of Chapter 2 Hoben in Prose, the Chapter 16 in Prose and Verse format along with the five morning and three “silent prayers” style (五座三座, Goza-Sanza) for the purpose of the following: # Protection from the Buddhist gods (Shoten Zenjin) # Prayer to the Dai Gohonzon # Prayer for lineage or the priesthood # Conversion of the

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...

and widespread propagation. # Prayers for the dead ancestors and their rebirth in Hokkeko. Additional services such as funeral, prolonged chanting (Shodai) and other commemoration ceremonies for historical personalities associated with the Head Temple are also conducted. However, the direct recitation of a Gongyo service is not offered to the Dai Gohonzon image.

Tozan pilgrimages

Pilgrimage to Taiseki-ji draws adherents of Nichiren Shoshu annually through group trips that are planned by local branch temples, as well as private individual trips. This pilgrimage in the sectarian parlance is called “Tozan” (登山, "Mountaineering, to climb the mountain”) for the purpose of worshipping the Dai-Gohonzon in person. The sect bases this practice in the ancient custom of early supporters of Nichiren who also visited him during his mortal lifetime in perilous roads and mountains, now re-interpreted as a similar pilgrimage towards the Dai-Gohonzon, which accordingly represents Nichiren in a Mandala format.

The Gokaihi ceremony

In Japan, a “Gokaihi” (御開扉, English: “Sacred Opening of (

Butsudan A , sometimes spelled Butudan, is a shrine commonly found in temples and homes in Japanese Buddhist cultures. A ''butsudan'' is either a defined, often ornate platform or simply a wooden cabinet sometimes crafted with doors that enclose and pr ...

) Doors” ) is a Buddhist ceremonial rite that exposes a particular sacred Buddhist image that is hidden and revered in a particular religion or sect. In Nichiren Shoshu ritual practices, this refers to the ceremonial audience with the Dai-Gohonzon officiated by the High Priest granted to Hokkeko believers who have personally requested to willingly participate, which is oftentimes the main purpose of a pilgrimage visit to the Head Temple. The volition of

free will Free will is the capacity of agents to choose between different possible courses of action unimpeded. Free will is closely linked to the concepts of moral responsibility, praise, culpability, sin, and other judgements which apply only to actio ...

, confirmation of registered membership and an offertory fee is part of the custom protocol to enter the Hoando building to participate in the religious service (Having a

Gohonzon is a generic term for a venerated religious object in Japanese Buddhism. It may take the form of a scroll or statuary. The term typically refers to the mainstream use of venerated objects within Nichiren Buddhism, referring to the calligr ...

is not a requirement).

List of buildings

The following significant buildings are listed for their historical and architectural value:

Sanmon Gate

The

Sanmon A , also called , is the most important gate of a Japanese Zen Buddhist temple, and is part of the Zen ''shichidō garan'', the group of buildings that forms the heart of a Zen Buddhist temple.JAANUS It can be often found in temples of other den ...

(written 三門, sometimes 山門) gate is Taiseki-ji's "main front door" and has been designated as a Shizuoka prefectural cultural asset. It was built in 1717 with financial assistance from Lady Hiroko Konoe (also known as “Tennei-in”), the daughter of Imperial Princess Tsuneko and wife of sixth Shōgun

Tokugawa Ienobu (June 11, 1662 – November 12, 1712) was the sixth ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the grandson of Tokugawa Iemi ...

. A Gohonzon transcribed by 25th High Priest Nichiyu Shonin is enshrined within its upper floor. At the time, she donated 300

ryō The was a gold currency unit in the shakkanhō system in pre- Meiji Japan. It was eventually replaced with a system based on the ''yen''. Origins The ''ryō'' was originally a unit of weight from China, the ''tael.'' It came into use in Japan ...

for its construction. Positioned next to public government roads, it was significantly vandalized and defaced with

graffiti Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...

in 1997. It was recently restored, and its Gohonzon was ceremoniously re-enshrined within again on 15 January 2021.

Mutsubō

The Mutsubō The first was erected in 1290 as Taiseki-ji's first building. It has been rebuilt many times since, but the Gohonzon (object of veneration) it houses is attributed to temple founder Nikkō Shōnin dating from November 1332. It maintains its original design of having six rooms. The current structure, which uses much ''keyaki'' heartwood, was completed in 1988. The High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu proceeds to the Mutsubō on concluding

in the Kyakuden (see below) to perform another gongyo recitation with young priests and acolytes.

Kyakuden

The is one of the central structures where the majority of ceremonies are held, including Ushitora Gongyo by each successive High Priest every morning. It was built in 1465 and later rebuilt in 1998. The Kyakuden was rebuilt as the , with the assistance of the

, a modern-style building inaugurated April 1964. That structure, was demolished in September 1995 and rebuilt as the current Kyakuden in 1998 with its wood-clad steel-framed edifice. The priesthood cited the Dai-Kyakuden's imposing ferroconcrete mass as incongruent with the architectural tone appropriate for a temple compound. The Kyakuden is the site of

, a daylight prayer service officiated by the High Priest or his proxy. The Ozagawari Joza Gohonzon, original paper on 13 October 1290 ("Gohonzon of the Seat of the Dharma") was rendered into wood and carved on 15 June 1706, now enshrined on the central altar on the second floor of the Kyakuden. This 1706 wooden mandala is flanked by lifesize statues of Nichiren Daishonin (left) and Nikkō Shōnin (right) as a symbolic representation of “San—Po” or “Three Treasures style”, though the “Object of Worship” remains the central mandala. The two grand statues were carved in 1660 during the reign of 17th High Priest Nissei Shonin.

Mieidō

The Mieido (image hall, 御影堂) is the ''hondō'' (本堂) or main official hall of Taisekiji temple. It traces its history to a building called the Mido (Midō: 御堂) erected by Nikko Shonin when he founded Taisekiji in 1290. It takes its name from a lifesize image of Nichiren sculpted by Japanese Buddhist artisan ''Echizen Hōkyō Kaikei'', a carver of Buddhist images. This image was enshrined in the year 1388 in a building that was then replaced in 1522. The current, classical structure was erected in 1632 with donations from the Lady Manhime Ogasawara (Also known as ''Kyōdai-in''), who was the wife of Lord

Hachisuka Yoshishige (February 20, 1586 – March 29, 1620) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Edo period, who ruled the Tokushima Domain. His court title was '' Awa no kami''. He married Manhime (1592–1666), daughter of Ogasawara Hidemasa Yoshishige fought du ...

of the

Tokushima Castle was an Edo period Japanese castle located in the city of Tokushima, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. Its ruins have been protected as a National Historic Site since 1957. Its Omotegoten Gardens are designated a national Place of Scenic Beauty. Hi ...

.. The building is designed similarly to a

Kabuki-za in Ginza is the principal theater in Tokyo for the traditional ''kabuki'' drama form. History The Kabuki-za was originally opened by a Meiji era journalist, Fukuchi Gen'ichirō. Fukuchi wrote kabuki dramas in which Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and ot ...

theater filled with various ornaments. In 1680 (

Enpō (contemporarily written as 延寳) is the after '' Kanbun'' and before ''Tenna.'' This period spanned the years from September 1673 to September 1681. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * 1673 : The new era of ''Enpō'' (meaning "Prolong ...

year), the Dai Gohonzon image was stored here for safekeeping. An enlarged statue of Nichiren is enshrined in front of the Mandala as the aesthetic of the building represents various Buddhist images. Several rounds of expansions, improvements, and repairs have been undertaken since then, and it was designated a prefectural tangible cultural property by Shizuoka Prefecture after major repairs in 1971. The most recent overhaul was finished in November 2013. The seven-year project entailed completely breaking down and reassembling the building piece by piece. All the parts were catalogued, mapped, and their condition recorded. Damaged structural members were repaired or replaced, and decorative fixtures such as

transom Transom may refer to: * Transom (architecture), a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window, or the window above such a bar * Transom (nautical), that part of the stern of a vessel where the two sides of its hull meet * Operation Tran ...

carvings and other artwork, were painstaking restored. When the building was reassembled, aseismic structural augmentation (dampers) was installed to protect it from earthquake damage. New

gold leaf Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets (usually around 0.1 µm thick) by goldbeating and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades. The most commonly used gold is 22-kara ...

was applied to the indoor pillars, and all exposed surfaces were finished with

vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since ancient history, antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its correspondi ...

using traditional methods. The building is known for its decorative transoms that depict various Buddhist deities that are believed to occupy the ''Treasure Tower of the Lotus Sutra''. A decorative

Stupa A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circumamb ...

is erected nearby the Mieido to commemorate the donations of Lady Manhime Ogasawara remains present to this day.

Hōandō

The Enshrinement Hall, built in 2002, houses the

of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching, the supreme object of worship in Nichiren Shōshū. The Hōandō is built in the style of a ''Kura'' storehouse to signify that the Nichiren Shoshu faith has not yet taken hold as the primary religion of the world's people. Nichiren Shoshu claims that Nichiren willed that the Dai Gohonzon is not to be made publicly accessible, but rather stored away and only viewed by those who have asked for and been granted an audience by the High Priest, until such time. Another interpretation of this is that, as different from all other Nichiren Shoshu altars, the one in the Hōandō has neither offerings of evergreens nor drums, and non-believers are not permitted entry. Handicapped believers and their attendants are given priority entry and seating within the building. On the high altar, the ''Shumidan'', of the Hōandō is a Buddhist

containing the ashes of Nichiren Daishonin (left), a grand

housing the Dai Gohonzon (center), and another stupa containing a statue of Nichiren Daishonin carved by Izumi Ajari Nippō Shōnin from the same

camphorwood ''Camphora officinarum'' is a species of evergreen tree that is commonly known under the names camphor tree, camphorwood or camphor laurel. Description ''Camphora officinarum'' is native to China south of the Yangtze River, Taiwan, southern ...

leftover plank that the Dai Gohonzon was inscribed on; while pious tradition claims that Nichiren approvingly characterized the statue as an exact image of himself. Taiseki-ji has traditionally regarded the Mieidō (see above) as the temple's ''

Hondō Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English t ...

'' (main hall), but only its provisional main hall until wide propagation is achieved, when the building housing the Dai Gohonzon would take over that role. The Hōandō replaced the controversial name of the Shōhondō (正本堂: true main hall), after its demolition in April 1998. (See below for details on demolished buildings)

Gohōzō and Hōanden

The ("Treasure House") houses various religious scrolls and paintings, and other religious and historical records, relics, and artifacts. It possesses the original ''Gosho'' documents of Nichiren conversing with the Buddhist deity

Hachiman In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...

, as well as a personal letter given to Lord Nanjo Tokimitsu while he was alive. In addition, all Gohonzons transcribed by Nichiren Shoshu priests are stored within this building, which are mostly taken out in April for the ''Omushibarai Ceremony''. In addition, it also features modest displays of cultural objects donated by pilgrims from countries where they have attracted converts. The Hōanden (奉安殿) building, where the Dai Gohonzon was once enshrined, stands behind it.

The Gojunoto Pagoda

Completed in 12 June 1749 with the assistance of the Japanese Edo government, this religious

pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...

was built with donations of 5,000 gold

Ryō The was a gold currency unit in the shakkanhō system in pre- Meiji Japan. It was eventually replaced with a system based on the ''yen''. Origins The ''ryō'' was originally a unit of weight from China, the ''tael.'' It came into use in Japan ...

given by the daughter of Imperial Princess Tsuneko. Her daughter, the Lady Hiroko Konoe (also known as Tennei-in), who was the wife of Ienobu Tokugawa, the sixth Tokugawa Shogun gave this donation with the solemn approval of Nichikan Shonin, the 26th High Priest. It has five stories representing the characters of 妙法蓮華經 (English: “Myo-Ho-Ren-Ge-Kyo”) measuring at 112 feet and faces west rather than the usual south, with a claim that Nichiren's Buddhism would spread from the East (Japan) to the Western lands; that is, back to the land of

Shakyamuni Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

and to the rest of the world. This pagoda is the largest five-storied pagoda along the Tōkaidō, the historical main highway along Japan's eastern seaboard from Edo (today's

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

) to

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

. A Gohonzon transcribed by 31st High Priest Nichi-in Shonin is enshrined within, dated to 28 March 1749. Muteki ga ore o yondeiru Film poster

In 1966, the pagoda was designated a national cultural treasure. In 2017, it was structurally reinforced and artistically restored. Its doors are ceremoniously opened once each year on February 16 to celebrate Nichiren's birthday for the “O-tanjo ceremony”, followed by the formal opening of its doors called the “O-tobiraki ceremony”. The Japanese debonair actor

Keiichirō Akagi , born was a Japanese actor. Akagi appeared in over 26 films in his short three-year career. Kenju burai-chō series and The Call of the Foghorn are Akagi's notable films. In 1958, he joined the Nikkatsu company. He landed the lead role for the ...

(1939—1961) is also buried at the L-2 ward section of the head temple cemetery, nearby the Pagoda.

Graves of early Presidents of the Soka Gakkai

* On the left rear of the Pagoda is the 1945 grave and

of the first Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi. * The second

president

Josei Toda , also known as and its abbreviation , is an editorial category of Japanese comics that emerged in the 1980s. In a strict sense, ''josei'' refers to manga marketed to an audience of adult women, contrasting ''shōjo'' manga, which is market ...

is located at the left front of the pagoda. His ashes were moved from Jozai-ji temple (

Toshima is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the eight central wards of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Located in the northern area of Tokyo, Toshima is bordered by the wards of Nerima, Itabashi, and Kita in the north and Nakano, Shinjuku, a ...

, Tokyo), and re—interred here in 2001.

Daikōdō

The Daikōdō ("English: Grand Auditorium") was donated by

, with construction began on December 1956 and completed on 1 March 1958. It houses a so-called “Mannen-Kugo” aesthetic-style design which was originally dated and inscribed by

himself in December 1274 and later co-signed by the Yoshihama Myohonji Temple located in Kyonan,

Chiba prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to the ...

. A wooden transcription image of this Gohonzon was carved and signed by Taisekiji priest-sculptor named “Eritsu Hiki

Bhikkhu A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...

” (Claimed to be Mr. Takeshi Itamoto) in January 1687 (

Jōkyō was a after '' Tenna'' and before ''Genroku.'' This period spanned the years from February 1684 through September 1688. The reigning emperors were and .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''Annales des empereurs du japon'' p. 415./ref> Change of era * ...

year IV) assumingly in commemoration for the new incoming 30th High Priest Nitchu Shonin. Upon the completion of this grand auditorium in 1958, the 65th High Priest Nichijun Shonin decided to enshrine this wooden Gohonzon within this building where it remains today. Presently, this Gohonzon is flanked by the two ''

Ihai A spirit tablet, memorial tablet, or ancestral tablet, is a placard used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. The name of the deity or past ancestor is usually inscribed onto the tablet. With origins in tr ...

'' memorial tablets of second High Priest Nikkō Shonin and his successor, third High Priest

Nichimoku , Buddhist name: ''Niidakyo Ajari Nichimoku'', was a junior disciple of Nichiren who sided with Nikkō Shōnin after Nichiren's death. Nikkō Shōnin later appointed Nichimoku as his successor as Head Priest (''Kancho'') of Taiseki-ji temple. Pi ...

as an expressed style aesthetic that both disciples were once able to listen to Nichiren’s preaching in correlation to the purpose of the building as an

Auditorium An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theatres, the number of auditoria (or auditoriums) is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoria can be found in entertainment venues, community ...

. It is in a dilapidated condition and scheduled for demolition and reconstruction after completion of the new Sanmon gate in 2021. The former highest lay leader of Hokkeko believers (''Hokkeko Sokoto''),

Jōsei Toda was a teacher, peace activist and second president of Soka Gakkai from 1951 to 1958. Imprisoned for two years during World War II under violating the Peace Preservation Law and the charge of lèse-majesté from against the war, he emerged from ...

addressed youth adherents from this building on 16 March 1958.

Demolished buildings

Shōhondō

The Shōhondō (正本堂, True Main Hall) was a building at Taiseki-ji, which opened in 12 October 1972 and was subsequently demolished in 1998. Former

President

Daisaku Ikeda is a Japanese Buddhist philosopher, educator, author, and nuclear disarmament advocate. He served as the third president and then honorary president of the Soka Gakkai, the largest of Japan's new religious movements. Ikeda is the founding pres ...

, who emphasized the building of monuments to the success of the movement, made the request to build the new structure which became the Shohondo. Religious professor Daniel A. Métraux claims that the Soka Gakkai placed particular importance on the building of the Shohondo, based on interpretations of doctrine not shared by the Nichiren Shoshu sect as a whole, and therefore controversy over its status arose at its construction. The Shohondo was inaugurated by the Soka Gakkai who claimed it as the "True High Sanctuary", Kaidan, which was a title disputed by conservative groups within the sect including the Myoshinko (now known as

Kenshōkai is a Japanese-based Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist lay group, affiliated with Taisekiji Head Temple since 1942 at the Myokoji Temple in Shinagawa, Tokyo and was originally called . After engaging in conflict with fellow Hokkeko members due to tol ...

) lay organisation, and the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood. In Nichiren Shoshu doctrine, that sanctuary title was allegedly reserved for a future temple to be built at the base of

on the completion of Kosen Rufu, as solely decreed by the

when the entire nation has converted to Nichiren’s Buddhism. Métraux oexplain that the Soka Gakkai was reinterpreting doctrine and maintained that they could consider the Shohondo as the "True High Sanctuary", Kaidan, about which Nichiren wrote, because through the Soka Gakkai Nichiren’s philosophy was spread through Japan and was positively impacting people. The importance of the Shohondo was, therefore, a highly contentious matter dividing the Soka Gakkai and other factions within the faith. High Priest

Nittatsu Hosoi Nittatsu Hosoi (細井日達, ''Hosoi Nittatsu'' also known as Nittatsu Shonin; 15 April 1902, Tokyo – 22 June 1979) was the 66th High Priest of the Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple Taisekiji in Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Previo ...

, clarified that the Shōhondō was not the True High Sanctuary about which Nichiren wrote, though directed the Shōhondō as a temporary home for the Dai-Gohonzon, the permanent home of the Dai-Gohonzon would be the future True High Sanctuary. KuonNoHi

The construction of the Shōhondō was funded largely by donations from lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu. In 1968, approximately 8 million Soka Gakkai adherents contributed money to the construction. An estimated grand total of ¥35,536,000,000 was raised: * ¥ 35,064,300,000.00 came from the

Sōka Gakkai is a Japanese Buddhist religious movement based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese priest Nichiren as taught by its first three presidents Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, Jōsei Toda, and Daisaku Ikeda. It is the largest of the Japanes ...

lay organization. * ¥ 313,820,000.00 from the

Hokkekō is the mainstream lay organization affiliated with the Nichiren Shōshū. It traces its origins to three martyr disciples who were arrowed and later beheaded in the ''Atsuhara persecutions'' and a more recent tradition of family lineage (anthropo ...

lay organization * ¥ 157,870,000.00 from Nichiren Shoshu priests and their families. The building was demolished in 1998, the official reason given by Nichiren Shoshu for the demolition was the discovery of rust on the pillars within the temple. Engineers discovered that ocean sand had been used in the mortar of the building, risking the Dai Gohonzon's safety during an

earthquake An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...

. The school also concedes that its demolition of the Shōhondō was an extension of the doctrinal dispute between it and Sōka Gakkai, emphasizing the impiety of the organisation as

heretic Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...

s for deviating from its formal doctrines of orthodoxy.Sōka Gakkai-in e no shakubuku kyōhon (Text for refuting Soka Gakkai's misrepresentations to its adherents), Taiseki-ji, 2004. pp. 330–331. American architects

Richard Meier Richard Meier (born October 12, 1934) is an American abstract artist and architect, whose geometric designs make prominent use of the color white. A winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1984, Meier has designed several iconic buildings ...

and Robert Arthur Stern both disparaged the demolition. Terence Riley, former chief curator of architecture and design at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

in New York opined that the planned demolition would be a "regrettable finale" to a century that has "witnessed so much loss". This article is also referenced in Jane Hurst, "A Buddhist Reformation", in ''Global Citizens: The Soka Gakkai Buddhist Movement in the World'' eds. David W. Machacek, Bryan R. Wilson, Oxford University Press, 2001, p. 70

Nearby buildings

Myoren-ji Temple

An approximate thirty-minute walk from the Head Temple is Myoren-ji, which is another former “Head Temple” of the various Fuji schools which conjoined with Taisekiji in the 25 December 1950 during the proselytizing efforts of former

President

. The temple was once a former residence of Nanjo Tokimitsu, the person who donated the land of Taisekiji to Nikko Shonin. The temple's name derives from the Buddhist name (''kaimyō'') Nanjo Tokimitsu's wife, Myōren, whose historical birth name is unknown. This temple houses many historically significant artifacts, in particular, the Gohonzon enshrined in its main altar, which was transcribed by Nikko Shonin in the year 1315, and a small, decorative statue of Nichiren that is preserved as a historical remembrance. The temple is known for the unique format of its ''Oeshiki'' ceremony commemorating the death of

. Since 25 December 1950, it has been under the sacerdotal administration of the Nichiren Shoshu sect.

Notes

References

* ''Nichiren Shōshū Nyūmon'' (日蓮正宗入門: "Introduction to Nichiren Shoshu"), Taiseki-ji, 2002, pp. 336–348. (Japanese) * ''Taisekiji'' (大石寺), Seikyo Shimbun-sha, 1971 (Japanese)

External links

The Origin of Taisekiji Temple
on the Nichiren Shoshu website.

on the Nichiren Shoshu website {{DEFAULTSORT:Taiseki-ji Buddhist temples in Shizuoka Prefecture Nichiren Buddhism 1290s establishments in Japan 1290 establishments in Asia 13th-century Buddhist temples Fujinomiya, Shizuoka