Jōdo-ji (Onomichi)

is a temple of Shingon Buddhism in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As a site sacred to the boddhisattva Kannon, it is the 9th temple on the Chūgoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage. The temple, built at the end of the Kamakura period, is noted for two national treasures: the temple's main hall (''hondō'') and the treasure pagoda (''tahōtō''). In addition it holds a number of Important Cultural Property structures and artworks.

History

Prince Shōtoku is said to have been the founder of the temple. It is certain that there has been a place of prayer at the site since the end of the Heian period. The actual construction took place from 1306 with the construction of the main hall ('' hon-dō''). But as early as 1325 the temple burnt down. Shortly thereafter the most important buildings were rebuilt with the help of the population. An Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy is worshiped at the temple.

During the Nanboku-chō period, Ashikaga Takauji visited the temple on the way from Kyūshū in 1336 and donated a collection of 33 poems thanking for military success. The collection is still in the possession of the temple and is registered as Japanese Important Cultural Property. Takauji made Jōdo-ji one of the temples for national pacification ().

Temple compound

The temple buildings are located halfway up a hill on a plaza stretching east–west from where there is a view on the Inland Sea. The temple precinct is entered from the south through the which is a four-legged gate in ''kirizuma'' style, with ''hongawara'' type shingles. The ''sanmon'' dates to 1333–1392 and has been designated as Important Cultural Property (ICP). Its ''kaerumata'', frog leg struts, have been decorated with the family crest of the Ashikaga clan.

Facing the ''sanmon'' is the . Built by the carpenter in 1327 in the Japanese style (''wayō'') and later—with the addition of a front porch—adapted to the Zen style, it has been designated as National Treasure. The hall is a 5×5 ken, single-storied, ''irimoya'' style structure with a 1 ken step canopy, ''hongawarabuki'' roof.

Directly to the right or east of the Main Hall is the . This hall, dedicated to Amida, "The Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light" who rules over the Western Paradis or the Pure land was built in 1345. It is a 5×4 ken, wide, single-storied structure in ''yosemune'' style, with ''hongawarabuki'' roof. A seated image of Amida Nyōrai is enshrined in this building.

The main temple structures are completed by the , a 3×3 ken, two-storied Buddhist tower, with ''hongawarabuki'' roof, dating to 1328 and designated as National Treasure. It enshrines an image of Dainichi Nyorai with attendants. The interior walls are painted with images of the Eight Patriarchs of Shingon Buddhism. During reconstruction works in 1936, many sutra scrolls and other items were discovered in the roof's finial (''sōrin''). Unlike the Main Hall and the Amida Hall which are aligned in east-westerly direction, the treasure pagoda is moved a bit south into the plaza, positioning it to the south-east of the Amida Hall.

A number of service buildings occupies the western end of the temple precinct. Directly to the northwest of the ''hōn-dō'' is the . Built in 1690 from donations by the Hashimoto family, wealthy merchants from Onomichi, this building is a , single-storied, ''yosemune'' style structure with ''hongawarabuki'' roof tiles.

To the west rising from a patch of white gravel next to the ''hōjō'' and extending up the hillside lies the which has been laid out in 1806 and designated as Place of Scenic Beauty. From the center of the garden a cascade drops down ending in a small pond. On the top of an artificial hill at the back of the garden is the tea house known as . It was donated in 1814 by the Tomishima family, a wealthy merchant family from Mukaishima across the strait. According to unconfirmed history, this tea house was originally found inside Fushimi Castle from where it was moved to Hongan-ji, Kyoto until it was disassembled in the late 16th/early 17th century and became property of the Tomishima family. Roteki-an is a single-storied, ''irimoya'' style structure with thatched roof. Inside it has a three-mat space for guests and a ''temaeza'' (seat for host) in the ''daime'' style (3/4 mat). There is a (''shōbanseki'', 相伴席) mat for additional or special guests.

Just south of the Roteki-an lies the , built in the style of the traditional kura storehouses. It is a double-storied ''kirizuma'' style structure, in size with ''hongawarabuki'' roof and dates to 1759.

East of the ''hōko'', lies the with the extending north from it towards the garden. They were built in 1719. The ''kuri'' is entered from its prominent gable facade (''tsumairi'') which opens towards the main plaza. ''Kuri'' were originally primarily used for food preparation but came to contain administrative and living quarters of the monks. The ''kuri'' is a ''kirizuma'' style structure. The ''kyakuden'' encircles a small courtyard. The eastern wing, in ''yosemune'' style runs in north–south direction and contains the drawing or guest rooms. It measures and has an attached entranceway facing the plaza in the east. The western wing is ''kirizuma'' style. A living room is found in the southern wing and a tea room in the northern wing which is in the ''kirizuma'' style. All parts have ''hongawarabuki'' roofs except for the northern wing and a small two-storied structure in the western wing which have ''sangawarabuki'' tile roofs. Passing through a building in the south-west corner of the precinct, a ''kirizuma'' style with ''hongawarabuki'' roof from the late 18th century, a type of , provides access from the outside to the back of the ''kuri''.

There is a small Japanese rock garden surrounded by the ''kyakuden'' to the west, the ''hōjō'' to the north, the ''hōn-dō'' to the east and by a wall with a gate to the south. This gate, made entirely of Japanese elm is a small 1×1 ken structure with ''hongawarabuki'' roof and dates to 1712. It was relocated in 1719 from its original position between the Main Hall and the Amida Hall. A couple of Shinto shrines and the , a small hall dedicated to Monju, the Bodhisattva of wisdom, are found beyond the ''tahōtō'' at the eastern end of the temple precincts.

Stone pagodas

There are three notable stone pagodas, designated as Important Cultural Property, found on the temple grounds: one and two in the style. The ''Nōkyōtō'' is located next to the eastern wall of the temple and is a tall stone hōtō. It was built in the 10th month of 1278 by Kōa Yoshichika, as a memorial tower for his father, a wealthy Onomichi businessman. Inside the pagoda various holy scriptures were deposited as offering, such as the Lotus Sutra, The Three Pure Land Sutras and the Brahmajala Sutra.

Just north of the ''nōkyōtō'' is one of the ''hōkyōintō'', a high pagoda with a notable lotus petal design (''kaeribana'') at the base. It was erected on the 1st day of the 10th month, 1348 to commemorate among others the monk and Emperor Kōkō.

Another ''hōkyōintō'', from the Nanboku-chō period (1333–1392) known as "tomb of Ashikaga Takauji", is found at the southern wall of the temple grounds. tall, this tower shows particularly fine carving work. Both ''hōkyōintō'' contain '' shuji'' seed syllables of among others the .

Notable Treasures

The holds a number of Buddhist sculptures, paintings, crafts articles and written materials, some of which have been designated as Important Cultural Properties.

Sculptures

The principal image of the temple is a 9th-century early Heian period standing sculpture of the Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy made of colored hinoki wood and designated as Important Cultural Property. Its right hand is bestowing the gift of fearlessness (''abhayadāna'') while a vase is placed in the left hand.

Three Shōtoku sculptures from the Kamakura and Nanboku-chō periods have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. Each of the three is made of several pieces of wood in the ''yoseki-zukuri'' style. They are all colored, have crystal eyes (玉眼, ''gyokugan'') and are housed in the temple's treasure hall. Inside of the statues ink inscriptions were found informing of the date and circumstance of the works.

The oldest of these statues dates to 1303, is tall with the ''mizura'' hairstyle holding an incense burner in both hands in front of his body. According to tradition it shows Shōtoku at the age of 16 years. It is said to have been made by the Buddhist novice on occasion of his son's death. This sculpture is known as .

from 1337 is a tall image of a kneeling three year old Shōtoku with his hands folded in prayer. He is wearing a red ancient skirt (裳) with the upper part of the body naked. Like the "filial piety"-Shōtoku it is a work of the Kyoto sculptor 院憲.

A third statue known as from 1339 is tall. Unlike other regent statues where a ritual baton ('' shaku'') is held by both hands, here Shōtoku has the ''shaku'' in his right hand while an incense burner is placed in the left hand.

Paintings

The temple's treasure hall houses two Important Cultural Properties in the painting category. One is a Nirvana painting from 1274 depicting the historical Buddha on his deathbed surrounded by mourners and animals. The painting is executed with colour on silk and measures . Scenes from the life of the Buddha are drawn in 16 panels along the left, bottom and right border of the painting.

The is a set of two mandalas painted on silk depicting the Diamond and Womb Realm respectively. The work has an inscription in ink dating it to the year 1317. The two paintings measure (Diamond) and (Womb) respectively.

Crafts

Jōdo-ji owns two notable and similar sutra boxes from 1315, differing in size, originating from China and designated as Important Cultural Properties. The came into the possession of Jōdo-ji in 1358 to hold a copy of the Golden Light Sutra as translated into Chinese by the monk I Ching. Covered on the inside with red lacquer and outside black lacquer, the lid contains the character 首 ("head") and the body the character 性. This box has dimensions . It is in custody of the Nara National Museum.

The second, larger has dimensions but is otherwise similar in design. On the sides of the body of the box are a pair of peacock and a pair of Onagadori, long-tailed chicken. The cover contains the character 天 on the front and 性, 静, 情, 逸 engraved in the four corners.

Writings

The temple's treasure hall holds four notable articles of written materials designated as Important Cultural Properties. The oldest of these is a copy of volume 7 of the
an example of a mid-Heian period ornamental sutra. Initially it alternates between columns in gold and silver paint while the latter part is written in gold only. At the end of the scroll the date of completion is given as 22nd day of the 6th month, 949.

The Kamakura period from 1306, written by , a disciple of the Shingon priest Eison (1201–1290) from Saidai-ji, is a created during the time of the rebuilding of Jōdo-ji. The document contains a vermillion handprint by Jōshō.

Another treasure is the , a set of 33 waka poems on a scroll connected to a military campaign by Ashikaga Takauji. During the Kenmu era, Ashikaga Takauji, on the way to Kyushu stopped at Jōdo-ji to pray for military success at the temple's Kannon Bodhisattva. Later, on the 5th day of the 5th month, 1336, on the way back to Kyoto, he stopped by again and together with five of his sons had this scroll offered to the Eleven-faced goddess of mercy, the principal object of worship of Jōdo-ji. Seven of the poems are by Ashikaga Takauji and the scroll also contains Takauji's signature.

The treasure known as consists of 11 ancient documents from the 14th century Nanboku-chō period and the first half of the 15th century Muromachi period. The documents deal with the temple's annual tribute and contain among others a donation letter by Ashikaga Takauji and the seal of Ashikaga Yoshinori. A related set of 104 documents has been designated as Prefectural Important Cultural Property.

In popular culture

In the 1953 movie ''Tokyo Story'' directed by Yasujirō Ozu, the temple is prominently featured as a place near the residence of the elderly couple, Shūkichi and Tomi. The view from
Jōdo-ji is shown and remarked at in the movie and it also appears in other scenes. Tomi's funeral is at Jōdo-ji.

See also

* List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)

Notes

References

External links

Jōdo-ji homepageHiroshima Prefecture Cultural PropertiesPanoramic view of the temple

{{Coord, 34.412167, N, 133.210306, E, type:landmark_dim:650_region:JP-34, display=title

Buddhist temples in Hiroshima Prefecture
Prince Shōtoku