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2016/01/02

Kakurinji Harima

He sits on iwaza 岩座, a stone podestal, which is quite unusual for a Yakushi statue.

- quote
蓮華じゃなく岩？に座った珍しいお薬師さん。
- source : generalgingerxxx.doorblog.jp/archives

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刀田山鶴林寺 Todasan Kakurin-Ji
Toda no Taishi 刀田の太子

The temple was built on request of Imperial Prince Shotoku in the hope to spread Buddhism. Its original name was Shitennoji Shoryo-In.
It hosts many treasures and cultural property from the Heian and Muromachi Period.

. Imperial Prince Shotoku 聖徳太子 Shotoku Taishi (Daishi) . 574-622

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sange no hana　散華の花 auspicious flower petals

. sange 散華 "scattering blossoms" amulets .

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- Homepage of the temple
- source : kakurinji.or.jp

- - - - - Famous statues of this temple

◆薬師三尊像 Yakushi Sanzon Trias

◆ Eben Hooshi 恵便法師像 Priest Eben Hoshi from 高句麗 Kokuri, Korea
聖徳太子が、加古川下流に身をかくしていた僧、恵便のところに足を運ばれ「木の丸殿」を作って教を受けられたと言われている。

◆行道面
◆釈迦像
◆行基菩薩像 Gyoki Bosatsu
◆聖徳太子像
◆如意輪観音像 / ◆十一面観音 / ◆聖観音立像
◆十二神将より伐折羅大将像
◆持國天 / ◆広目天 / ◆増長天 / ◆多聞天
- source : kakurinji.or.jp -

. Yakushi sanzon 薬師三尊 Yakushi Triad, Trias, Trinity .

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- Yearly Festivals 　年中行事-

1月1日 - 初詣
1月8日 - 修正会（鬼追い）
2月15日 - 涅槃会
3月21日 - 春彼岸法要（太子会式）
3月22日 - 太子法要（太子会式）
3月23日 - 柴灯大護摩供（太子会式）
5月8日 - 花祭り（納骨・納髪・塔婆回向）
7月下旬 - 早朝坐禅会
8月7日 - 盆施餓鬼会
9月 - 秋坐禅会
十三夜 - 観月会
12月31日 - 除夜の鐘

月例行事　－ every Month
毎月8日 - 写経と法話の会
毎月18日 - 観音講

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- Further Information -

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2015/12/12

Kani Yakushi Gifu

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .
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Kani Yakushi 蟹薬師 "Crab Yakushi"
大寺山願興寺 Daiji San, Ganko-Ji
Mitake no Kani Yakushi 御嵩の蟹薬師
岐阜県南部，可児（かに）the district of Kani in Gifu
岐阜県可児郡御嵩町御嵩１３７７－１ / Mitake town

Situated on the Western Side of 御嶽宿 Mitake-Juku of the old 中山道 Nakasendo road.
The temple was first built in 713.
In 815, 伝教大師（最澄） Dengyo Daishi Saicho dedicated the statue of Yakushi.
It is also closely related to the emperor Ichijoo Tennoo 一条天皇 Ichijo Tanno, when the annual festival 蟹薬師祭礼 started
The temple was lost to fire many times in its history, but usually rebuilt in greater splendor.
A special hall for the Yakushi Statue, 薬師如来の厨子堂, was built in 1610.

- source : gankoji.sakura.ne.jp - [

The crest of the temple 願興寺の紋章
kani botan 蟹牡丹 crab and peony

. kamon 家紋 family crest - Introduction .

- quote -
The foundation of Gankoji Temple
At the age of 36, Saicho visited China with Kukai (referred to as Kobo-taishi) as a member of Kentoshi (a mission represening Japan to China). On his return from China, he founded Enryakuji Temple (the headquarters of Tendai-shu, a faction of Buddhism) at Hieizan in north-eastern part of Kyoto. In order to carry out the Tendai-shu’s tenet “relieve all the people”, Saicho travelled all around Japan and finally reached Mitake via Tosando (an old passway connecting northern Japan and Kyoto). At that time the area surrounding Mitake was suffering from epidemic, so he built a fuseya, leaving a hand-made sculpture of Yakushi-Nyorai and said his prayer for the residents’ recovery.

Building of Shichido-Garan
There was a very clever girl who was a daughter of Emperor Ichijyo. She boasted about her own ability but the Emperor was uncomfortable with her attitude and drove her out of Kyoto. She started travelling along the Tosando , but during her trip she became exhausted and much thinner than before. It was already winter when she arrived in Nakamura village (currently called Naka district in Mitake-cho) in her ragged clothes. She built an hermitage with the help of neighbors in the village and began to live there. She shaved her hair and became a nun named Gyouchini, praying for Yakushi-Nyorai every day.
At that time, a line of light began to appear every night from a pond at the foot from the mountain in the south of the village. Fierce wind blew, waves in the pond and a roar of mountain went accompanied the light. Gyouchi went close to the bank of the pond in the evening and found the pond had flooded and the entire village was under water with people almost drowned. Gyouchi counted her beads and kept praying, gazing the pond. Then an enormous 30-meter-long, big snake suddenly appeared and tried to swallow her.
Despite the snake’s appearance, Gyouchi just kept praying for Yakushi Nyorai without any fear. After a while the wind and wave stopped, and a small 6-centimeters-long image of Buddha surrounded by small crabs appeared in front of her. Inspired by this development, Gyouchi said her prayer for the image and enshrined it in her hermitage. On hearing the whole story, the Emperor Ichijyo issued a permission to build a sanctum there. This led to the establishment of a magnificent Shichido-Garan style temple in 998 named “Oterasan-Gankoji”.

Gankoji, burnt down twice by wars
Gankoji was burnt down in 1108 (the first year of Tenjin Era) during a rebellion led by Yoshitsugu Minamoto. At that time the image of Yakushi-Nyorai was moved to and enshrined at a shrine in Tsushima, Aichi Prefecture. After a while, the Yakushi-Do (a hall to enshrine Yakushi-Nyorai) was rebuilt in the premises of Gankoji. 100 years later, Koketsu Gengo Yasumori (in his capacity as Jito, an administrator of the Mitake area from the central government) re-constructed the rest of Gankoji. In 1572, in the midst of the battle between Takeda and Oda, a servant of Shingen Takeda set fire to Gankoji and burnt it down. As valuable images of Buddha and scriptures were kept ivied Gankoji, a number of monks of Gukeiji temple rushed into Gankoji and carried them out of the temple. Thanks to their work, all the images and 600 sets of scriptures remained intact. The images were kept in a temporary hall in the premises of Gukeiji for a while.

Building of the present hall
Shingen Takeda, an enthusiastic believer of Tendai-shu, expressed his strong anger with his staff for setting fire to the Gankoji. It is believed that he gave residents in Mitake area his promise to rebuild the temple. However, Shingen died before undertaking the restoration. 10 years later, led by Yojiro Tamaki, residents in the area began to rebuild Gankoji by themselves. Not only did they collect a fund from neighboring temples and shrines, but also brought wooden boards and pillars voluntarily. The restoration was completed in 1582 (the 9th year of Tensho Era).
One feature of the present hall is its wide corridors. This shows the residents’ thoughtful consideration in order for travelers to avoid rain during the night. The other is that the humble style of the back of the hall compared to the front. It shows that the residents tried hard to rebuild the hall within their financial constraints.
In the concert on the 23rd November 2006 held during the event “Nakasendo Walk”, Mr. Bincho Tanaka, a teacher of Gagaku both in Japan and all over the world played a whistle. In the concert which took place at Gankoji, some attendees would have felt eternal history as in the air the Emperor Ichijyo was known as an expert of whistle.
- source : gankoji.sakura.ne.jp -

. Dengyo Daishi Saicho 伝教大師最澄 .
(766 - 822)

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- Homepage of the temple
- source : gankoji.sakura.ne.jp

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- Yearly Festivals -

CLICK for more photos !

The origin of the Gankoji Festival 蟹薬師祭礼
The Gankoji Festival is originated in 999 (the 5th year of Chotoku Era), when the Shichido-Garan style temple was completed. Since then, ceremonies such as Daiji-Hyoshi, Shishi-mai and Hae-oi have been held part of the festival. Among them, Hae-oi was an important ceremony to drive off something unclean, given that could an epidemic, which was a matter of life and death at that time.
It is believed that the mask used in the Hae-oi ceremony was created by Gyouchi. There were two types of heads of Shishi (an item used in Shishi-mai lion-head ceremony), one was male and the other was female. When the male one was used, clothes and a mask for a male were used in the Hae-oi ceremony and vice versa.

願興寺月例祭事　- every month
８日　薬師縁日　　（焚き上げ・法話）
１８日　観音縁日　　（説法）
２４日　地蔵縁日　　（水子供養）
２８日　不動明王縁日（安全祈願）

願興寺年間祭事と行事
４月第１日　　蟹薬師祭礼 The main Festival in April
８月第１土曜　竹筒の燈明
大晦日　　　　竹筒の燈明

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- quote
STATUE OF KANI YAKUSHI
Daianji, Nara City, Japan

This statue was dedicated to the temple by a medical doctor to pray for confining cancer. Both words of KANI in Japanese and cancer in astronomy in English share a common meaning, that is, crab. In view of such a relationship, the doctor wanted to have this statue created for dedication.
- source : nara-heritage-online.naist.jp

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- Further Information -

One of the three great Yakushi temples of Japan 日本三薬師:

. Hooraiji 鳳来寺 Horai-Ji Yakushi, Mikawa, Aichi .

. Kani Yakushi 蟹薬師 "Crab Yakushi" at 願興寺 Ganko-Ji . - Gifu

. Yamanaka Yakushi 山中薬師 - 瑠璃山医王寺　Rurisan Io-Ji . - Gifu

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Yamanaka Yakushi Gifu

It is also known as
mushifuuji no Yakushi 虫封じの薬師 "Yakushi warding off the three worms".

The old buildings were lost in fire and it was reconstructed by the Jodo sect in 1544.

Visitors and pilgrims come from all parts of Japan.
The main statue of Yakushi was carved by 行基 Gyoki.

It is also known for its medicine to heal wounds, the 狐膏薬 Fox Medicine.

The main lodging of Ochiai village is run by the 本陣井口家 Iguchi family.
It is said a traveller was told the secret of the medicine by the deity 秋葉大明神 Akiba Daimyojin.

. mushifuuji 虫封じ amulets to ward off the "Three Worms" .

. Akiba Gongen 秋葉権現 the Akiba Deity .

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There is also a memorial stone with a haiku by Matsuo Basho in the back garden:

ume ga ka ni notto hi no deru yamaji kana
. 梅が香にのっと日の出る山路かな .

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- reference -

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One of the three great Yakushi temples of Japan 日本三薬師:

. Hooraiji 鳳来寺 Horai-Ji Yakushi, Mikawa, Aichi .

. Kani Yakushi 蟹薬師 "Crab Yakushi" at 願興寺 Ganko-Ji . - Gifu

. Yamanaka Yakushi 山中薬師 - 瑠璃山医王寺　Rurisan Io-Ji . - Gifu

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- Further Information -

中津川 Nakatsugawa was a postal station along the 中山道 Nakasendo Road. On the road toward Magome was the next station, the small hamlet of 落合 Ochiai.

山中薬師の狐膏薬伝説 Yamanaka Yakushi and the legend of the Fox Medicine

ズイトンさんの狐膏薬 The legend of Zuiton san and the Fox Medicine

Once upon a time
there lived an old monk at the temple, called ズイトンさん Zuiton san.
Once he was working in the garden when a fox appeared who looked rather painful. When he picked him up, he saw a large thorn in the leg of the fox. Zuiton san pulled it out and the fox suddenly seemed to smile at Zuiton san. Then he walked back into the mountain forest.

A few evenings later
he heard a sound at the entrance door and when he opened he saw the fox. The fox wanted to show his gratitude by teaching Zuiton san how to make good medicine cream.

まず、マムシグサの根っこのまあるい奴をすり潰す。そこへオオバコの種とキツネノマゴの葉をすり潰して混ぜる。次はモーチを入れて良く練り合わせる。それと油を布切れに塗り付けて、痛いところに張れば、たちどころに痛みが取れます.

(Other versions talk about the fox appearing in the dream of Zuiton san, teaching him.)
Zuiton san made the cream as told and put some on his back, which always hurt him. And in no time his pain was healed. Zuiton san was overjoyed.

He put up a sign 御夢想狐こうやく (Fox Medicine given in a Dream) and began to sell it. The villagers came and soon buyers from other parts of Japan showed up in a never-ending row.

In a similar legend, a fox in the disguise of a running messenger 飛脚 taught how to make the medicine, then called
Tokusan no kitsune kooyaku 徳さんの狐膏薬

source and more photos : saikoro0438/nakasendo

- reference : jimy1700 -
- reference : ja-higashimino.or.jp/book -

. kitsune densetsu 狐　伝説 fox legends .
- Introduction -

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Ochiai-juku (落合宿 Ochiai-juku) was the forty-fourth of the sixty-nine stations of the Nakasendō.

It is located in the present-day city of Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The honjin and the sub-honjin, as well as some old street lights, remain from the Edo period. The Honjin were the main rest areas in old post towns and very few remain today.
There are ten hills that must be traversed to get to Ochiai-juku from the preceding post town of Magome-juku.
- source : wikipedia -

. Nakasendō　中山道 The Nakasendo Road .

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Horaiji Aichi Mikawa

愛知県新城市門谷字鳳来寺1 / 1 Horaiji, Kadoya, Shinshiro-shi, Aichi

In its background is the famous mountain 鳳来寺山 Horaijisan.

- quote
Horai-ji located in Horai-cho, Aichi Prefecture. The temple was built in 703 by the risshuu sennin 利修仙人, the Immortal Risshu. It is sacred to Yakushi-Nyorai and is venerated as a place for curing diseases by many powerful men including Takeda Shingen, a daimyo of the 16th century, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, ruler of Japan early in the 17th century.
The influence of the temple has declined since the mid-19th century, however, when the samurai rule of Japan came to an end, with the result that only the sanctuary, Nio-mon ("Deva King Gate"), bell tower, Okuno-in (inner shrine), Ko-do (small hall), and two small annexes remain today. The approach to the temple features 1,452 stone steps lined with gigantic cedar trees. The remains of the buildings and other structures here remind visitors of the prosperity of bygone days.
- source : jnto.go.jp/eng

The road leading to the temple off the Tokaido was called
鳳来寺道 Horaiji-Do.

It also holds a copy of the Genji Monogatari
鳳来寺本源氏物語（ほうらいじほんげんじものがたり）源氏物語五十四巻

. sennin　仙人と伝説 Legends about Immortals .

Once Risshu Sennin practised in a cave at Horai-Ji and had to go out for a pee. A 鹿 deer licked it and became pregnant. It gave birth to a beautiful girl. The baby was placed in front of a noble family. It had only two toes on each foot, which looked like the hooves of a deer.

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shuin 御朱印 stamp of the temple

- Homepage of the temple
本尊は開山の利修作とされる薬師如来。
参道の石段の数が1,425段あり、徳川家光によって建てられた仁王門は国の重要文化財である[2][3]。また、愛知県の県鳥であるコノハズク（仏法僧）の寺としても有名である。
- source : wikipedia

- reference -

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Hooraisan Tooshoogu 鳳来山東照宮 Horaisan Toshogu
and Tokugawa Ieyasu
Horaiji-4 Kadoya, Shinshiro, Aichi

Built by the third Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu 徳川三代将軍家光公.

At the temple Horai-Ji there are special ema 絵馬 votive tablets with a mirror.

「東照（家康公）神君のお父君であられる贈大納言廣忠卿が子どものないことを憂いて、お母君であられる北の方傳通院と御一緒に鳳来寺峯薬師へ御参籠され御祈願をなされたら、その証があって、ある夜、北の方傳通院殿（於代の方）は、『東の方より老翁が来て、金珠を与えられる』という夢を見られました。それから間もなく北の方傳通院殿が身ごもられ、12ケ月過ぎ、天文11年壬寅年（1542）12月26日に御出産遊ばされたのが東照神君でした。」

寅童子 Tora Doji

- - - - - HP of the Toshogu Shrine
- reference source : tees.ne.jp/~horaitosyogu -

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寅童子の化身、徳川家康にちなんだ起き上がり小法師

A little "Tiger Daruma" with reference to Ieyasu
Ieyasu was born in the year of the tiger, on the day of the tiger and in the hour of the tiger.
寅年、寅の日、寅の刻に生まれた徳川家康

The mother of Ieyasu, 於大の方 Odai no Kata , wanted a strong male child. So she went to the temple 鳳来寺 Horai-Ji to pray to Yakushi Nyorai. And indeed, one year later, she gave birth to a strong boy.
Strange things happen! On the day of his birth, the statue of General Shindara 真達羅大将（緊那羅）Kinnara, one of the 12 heavenly generals around Yakushi Nyorai as retainers of Bishamonten, disappeared. This General was also called 寅童子 "Child of the Tiger" and is 寅の方角 the protector of the North and the hours of the Tiger「寅の刻」or「寅の時」from about 4 in the morning till 2 in the afternoon. (Other sources start other times: 04 am – 06 am, or higure nanatsu (sunset 7), tora no koku (hour of the tiger) or from one o'clock to five in the morning.)
Anyway, when Ieyasu died at the age of 74 in the year 1616, suddenly the statue was back in its place. So people believe that he was an incarnation of General Shindara

This new doll has been made since 2010 at this shrine 鳳来山東照宮 Horaisan Toshogu.

. Tokugawa Ieyasu 徳川家康 . (1543 - 1616) .

Tora Doji has become a favorite of the region.
It is even a part of the lunch menu!

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- Further Information about Yakushi -

One of the three great Yakushi temples of Japan 日本三薬師:

. Hooraiji 鳳来寺 Horai-Ji Yakushi, Mikawa, Aichi .

. Kani Yakushi 蟹薬師 "Crab Yakushi" at 願興寺 Ganko-Ji . - Gifu

. Yamanaka Yakushi 山中薬師 - 瑠璃山医王寺　Rurisan Io-Ji . - Gifu

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- Another mountain with this name, related to Matsuo Basho :

. - Hoorai san 蓬莱山 Mount Horai-San - .
Located in Shiga prefecture, Otsu town. 滋賀県大津市

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Mount Horaiji
Mt. Horaiji is introduced in the guide book called “130 mountains in Aichi Prefecture”. Mt. Horaiji is a low mountain and the highest peak is 684.2 meters above sea level in Shinshiro City. There are Horaiji temple main hall, Toshogu shrine, Deep Horaiji temple and so on in the mountain.

The whole mountain is country designation, natural beauty spot natural monument and can expect Gulf of Mikawa across Tosan river plains in the southernmost tip of Mount Horaiji old volcanic group distributed over depths Mikawa. Aged cedars grow thick, and both sides can hear voice of the Buddha, Buddhist dharma and bonze from the beginning of May when they climb stone stairway from Omotesando.

Mount Horaiji Nijo-jo Castle (Ieyasu) lines up to 35 degrees N (mother of Ieyasu) Mt. Chiba Suzaki Shrine (Yoritomo Minamoto), Kuno Toshogu (Ieyasu), Sunpu-jo Castle (Ieyasu), Akiha Shrine, Otori next temple (mother of Ieyasu), Okazaki castle (Ieyasu Tokugawa), Kariya castle, Ogawa castle. Edo-jo Castle, Mount Fuji, Mount Horaiji, Yoshinoyama, Mt. Koya-san is arranged in a straight line, too.
This line and three intersections with medial line are Mount Horaiji.
Otori next temple was founded for 703 years by rishu senjin and used three fearful gods at will. Neck of three ogres was confined in basement of the main hall of a Buddhist temple as guardian deity in quiet simplicity with hermit. Yoritomo Minamoto revived temple (Ishibutsu written, "it is with ogre bone" seemed to be discovered by all letters in 1974.), and, as temple which parents of Ieyasu conceived and prayed for, it was left building Toshogu by Sandai family to inherit the shogunate light.
There is Yuya Onsen in horai kyobanshikikawa (river where we seemed to spread gold-leaf folding screen all over) and is said to be hot water of healing.
- source : aichi-kanko.jp -

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2015/11/25

Fukutokuji Nagano

[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
. 薬師如来 Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 Bhaisajyaguru - ABC .
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Fukutokuji 福徳寺 Fukutoku-Ji, Nagano
醫（医）王山福徳寺 Iozan Fukutoku-Ji
長野県下伊那郡大鹿村大河原389 Nagano, Shimo Ina district, Oshika village, Ogawara

The seat of the statue has an inscription from the year 1160, dating it to the Heian period.
Later inspections however found it to be from the Kamakura period.

In the hall are statues of Yakushi Nyorai and
Amida Nyorai with Bishamonten and Kannon Bosatsu at his side.
阿弥陀如来坐像が並存し、毘沙門天・聖観世音菩薩

- quote
福徳寺の建立年代は、仏像台座の墨書に平治2年（1160）とあり、平安時代末期の創建を伝えるが、昭和28年の調査を兼ねた解体修理によって、鎌倉時代以前まではさかのぼらないことがわかった。堂内に安置されている仏像は、中央に薬師如来坐像と阿弥陀如来坐像が並存し、毘沙門天・聖観世音菩薩の二体が脇に配られる。
「醫（医）王山福徳寺」の山号は天台宗系寺院のものであり、本尊は薬師如来となろう。堂建立の施主や中心人物は不明であるが、大河原城址が指呼の位置にあることから、香坂氏や山号から天台座主であった宗良親王の存在が浮かんでくる。
堂は
桁行三間、梁間三間、一重、こけら葺であって、組物は隅柱のみ舟肘木を設け、軒一重疎垂木木舞打ちの簡素な建物であり、小規模でながら洗練された姿からは中央の寺院建築文化の風格が漂う。明治45年に特別保護建造物の指定を受け、昭和25年重要文化財の指定を受けている。
- source : ooshika-kanko.com

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Nearby are the remains of 大河原城 Ogawara castle
おおがわらじょう

Muneyoshi Shinnoo, Munenaga-shinnō 宗良親王 Muneyoshi Shinno (1311 - 1385)
stayed here and spent time with the lord of the castle, Koosaka 香坂氏 Kosaka.
During his stay Muneyoshi used the temple to perform 天台仏教修法 rituals of the Tendai sect.
It is now the oldest wooden building in Nagano and an important cultural property 重要文化財.
Ogawara
is located at the 秋葉街道 Akiba Kaido road.
- source : shingen/joukannagano -

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- Yearly Festivals -

hi mizu no Yakushi 日見ずの薬師 Yakushi not to see the sun

source : yukoyuko0627 - わかおか

This statue is shown only once a year, on January 7.
Since this Yakushi is not allowed to see the sun, it is only shown from sundown to sunset the next morning.
Parishioners take turns in making round 餅御護符 Mochi, one for each family, which will bring good luck for the coming year.

. Yakushi Legends from Nagano .

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宗良親王 (むねよししんのう) Muneyoshi, Munenaga Shinno

- quote -
Prince Munenaga 宗良親王 Munenaga Shinnō, (1311 - ?1385),
an imperial prince (the eighth son of Emperor Godaigo) and a poet of the Nijō poetic school of Nanboku-chō period, mostly known for his compilation of the Shin'yō Wakashū.

Prince Munenaga led a turbulent life, which quite likely served as an impetus for his poetic sensibility. In 1326 he took tonsure as a Tendai priest on Mount Hiei and swiftly advanced in his studies of the Buddhist doctrine.

In 1330 Prince Munenaga became the head priest of Tendai school, but was soon after banished to Sanuki in Shikoku for his participation in the Genkō War, where he had fought for his father's cause of imperial restoration. After three years of exile he marched his troops into Kyoto. Subsequently, when the imperial army lost to Ashikaga Takauji in 1336, Prince Munenaga took refuge on Mount Hiei with his father, Emperor Godaigo.

In 1338, when one of his relatives suggested that Prince Munenaga abandon resistance and return to Kyoto, the prince replied with this poem:

故郷は恋しくとてもみよしのの花の盛りをいかがみすてむ

furusato wa koishiku to te mo mi Yoshino no
hana no sakari o ikaga misuten

Yes, it is true,
I long for my home of old,
But how can I desert
Holy Yoshino, now that
The cherries are in full bloom.

Thus in an elegant poetic form Prince Munenaga replied that he would not abandon his father and stayed in the mountains of Yoshino to continue the fight despite all the hardships.

For the rest of his life, Prince Munenaga was at the head of resistance against the Muromachi bakufu and the Northern Court. The date of his death is uncertain, but some historians believe it to be around 1385 CE.
- source : wikipedia -

- reference - Munenaga -
- reference - Muneyoshi -

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. O-Mamori お守り　Amulets and Talismans .

. 薬師如来 Yakushi Nyorai 薬師如来 Bhaisajyaguru - ABC .

. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja - Vidyaraja - Fudo Myoo .

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. Japan - Shrines and Temples - ABC .

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - #fukutokuji #himizuyakushi #muneyoshishinno #munenaga shinno -
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2015/11/19

Jingoji Kyoto

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Jingoji　神護寺 Jingo-Ji, Kyoto

. Pilgrimage to 49 Temples of Yakushi Nyorai in Western Japan
西国四十九薬師巡礼 .
- Introduction -
Nr. 44 Takaosan 高雄山神護寺 Jingo-Ji 京都市右京区

One of the three great temples in Sanbi, 三尾 in Kyoto, famous for their autumn colors.

- quote -
Founded in the 8th century, this Shingon temple is located at Takao, northwest of Kyoto. Kukai, founder of the Shingon sect, came here in 809 and stayed for 14 years.

After the temple burnt down the monk Mongaku persuaded Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa and shogun Minamoto Yoritomo to rebuild it, the work being completed in 1184. However most of the temple buildings were destroyed again in the Onin War. Only the Daishido survived the war and several of the current buildings date from 1623.

Stone sculpture of Fudo Myo-o at Jingoji Temple.
- source and photos : taleofgenji.org -

京都市右京区梅ヶ畑高雄町５番地 / 5 Takao-chō, Ume-ga-hata, Ukyō-ku Kyoto

- quote
Jingo-ji Temple is nestled in the mountainous area to the northwest of Kyoto city. The area is particularly known for autumn colored leaves and is called the Sanbi area consisting of three regions: Takao, Makio and Togano-o.
Jingo-ji Temple is located on the slope of Mount Takao. Crossing Takao Bridge above the Kiyotaki River 清滝川 and steeply ascending through the tunnel of crimson leaves. There, an incredibly beautiful Japanese temple welcomes one.
The official name of this temple is “Jingo Kokuso Shingon-ji” and it derives from two temples. One is Shingan-ji Temple and the other is Takaosan-ji Temple, both of which merged in 824. This is the place where Kukai (or Kobo Daishi) founded the base of his Shingon esoteric Buddhism and is regarded as one of the three most important esoteric Buddhist temples along with To-ji Temple and Kongobu-ji Temple.
It has experienced devastation many times in the long history but was successfully restored each time. A number of valuable temple treasures are preserved up to today, including the statue of Yakushi Nyorai (National Treasure) and other articles from the Heian and Kamakura periods. Another popular point about this temple is the Throwing Roof Tile. From the garden in Jizo-in Temple, people throw a roof tile over the cliff side as far as possible, an action that is believed to ward off misfortunes.
- source : eng.trip.kyoto.jp

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薬師如来立像

Yakushi Nyorai in the 金堂 Kondo Hall.

鎌倉時代の末に編纂された『神護寺略記』に引用されている『弘仁資財帳』に「薬師仏像一躯　脇士菩薩像二躯」とあるのがこの三尊に当たると思われる。
資財帳とは、定額寺で作ることを義務付けられていたもので、弘仁年間の資財帳とは当時定額寺であった神願寺のものであり、この像が神願寺から高雄山寺に移されたと考えられてきた。

近年、
この本尊を高雄山寺に由来するとする説が出され、その結論はまだ定まっていない。
- source : jingoji.or.jp/treasure -

- Homepage of the temple Yuiseki Honzan 遺迹本山
- source : jingoji.or.jp

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- Yearly Festivals -

一月一日新年法要金堂
二日初大護摩供明王堂
八日本尊供金堂
二十一日御影供大師堂
二月十五日涅槃会金堂
三月二十一日彼岸会金堂
四月八日仏生会金堂
五月一日～五日寺宝虫払行事書院
四日和気公祭典霊廟
十三日～十五日五大虚空蔵菩薩像御開帳多宝塔
六月十五日降誕会大師堂
七月二十一日文覚上人忌墓前
八月十五日孟蘭盆会金堂
九月十八日性仁親王忌墓前
二十三日彼岸会金堂
十月（第二月・祝）を含む
三連休五大虚空蔵菩薩像御開帳多宝塔
十一月一日～七日板彫弘法大師御開帳大師堂
四日和気公祭典金堂

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. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja - Vidyaraja - Fudo Myoo .

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- - - - - H A I K U - - - - -

神護寺の紅葉明りに一凡夫
Jingoji no momiji akari ni hito bonpu

among the bright lights
of autumn foilage at Jingo-Ji
one normal man

神護寺のここで一服紅葉茶屋
Jingoji no koko de ippuku momiji chaya

at Jingo-Ji
just right for a break
the tea stall in autumn foilage

Takazawa Ryooichi 高澤良一 Takazawa Ryoichi

CLICK for more colorful photos !

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- - - - - There are other temples with the name 神護寺 JingoJi in Japan.

Kumamoto, Aso Town 熊本県阿蘇市

One of the priests of the temple Jingo-Ji, where women were forbidden to come, got involved with a girl named オカメ O-Kame from nearby and spent almost every night with her.
The other monks punished the two by digging a hole in the ground, put the two of them inside and rolled a large boulder atop of this living grave.
From this time on in the villags around the home of O-Kame whenever a girl was born it would not grow up to become a woman. The villgers became afraid and asked the monks to pray to forgive O-Kame, whom they now called お上神様 O-Kame Kamisama.
They made a wooden statue clad with paper robes.
Whenever some difficult would happen in the village, the statue would shed off half of the paper robes as a warning of it.

reference yokai database

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. Koozanji 高山寺 Kozan-Ji .
and priest priest Myoe 明恵上人 (1173 - 1232)

. Pilgrimages to Fudo Temples 不動明王巡礼
Fudo Myo-O Junrei - Fudo Pilgrims - INTRODUCTION .

. Japan - Shrines and Temples - ABC .

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[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - #jingojikyoto -
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2015/11/14

Yakushi Legends Nagano

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伊那十二薬師 Ina Juni Yakushi pilgrimage to 12 Temples

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上伊那郡 Kami-Ina district 長谷村 Hasemura 長谷杉島 Hase Sugishima

Yakushi sama 薬師様 at 戸倉山 Togurayama (Togura-Yama)
At Togurayama there was a statue of Yakushi, and an old monk took care of it. But the the old monk died and Yakushi became very lonely. So he flew to the temple Hooonji 報恩寺 Hoon-Ji in 杉島 Sugishima hamlet to the large gingko tree いちょうの木 ichoo no ki .
When the priest came out the next morning, he saw a heavenly light shining from behind the gingko tree. He knew a deity had come down and worshipped the tree from now on.

source :　blogs.yahoo.co.jp/yabuya3

This Yakushi statue stands all alone on Mount Togurayama, in heat and cold, shine and snow.
On the 西峰 Western Peak of the Mountain range, there is 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O to be worshipped.

. ichoo いちょうの木 Gingko biloba tree .

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上伊那郡 Kami-Ina district 高森町 Takamori

. 大島山瑠璃寺 Ojimasan Ruri-Ji .
and the legend about the weeping cherry trees
. Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝 (1147 - 1199).

ーーーーー Another legend to enjoy at this temple
. Neko Yakushi 猫薬師 Yakushi Nyorai and the Cat .

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上伊那郡 Kami-Ina district 高遠町 Takato

Once the lord of Takato castle wanted to make a river to get some water to the castle. Near 荊口 Baraguchi the workers came to a huge boulder. So they went praying for help at the sanctuary of Yakushi Nyorai at 中屋 Nakaya. And then this boulder burst into two one night and cleared the place for the river to pass through.

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木曽郡 Kiso district 木祖村 Kiso village

The Yakushi Hall had been burned down by a fire and even the ground around it was burned. Only two heaps of dried grass had not burned. When the farmers took a closer look, they found the statue of Yakushi inside one of them. It seems the deity walked there all by itself.

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北安曇郡 Kita Azumi gun 小谷村 Otani

Arabiru kamisama あらびる神様 / 荒びる The Wild Deity and 薬師様
Once upon a time
there lived a very wild and rough deity in the village and all had a hard time. But Yakushi managed to calm the deity down and had a Yakushi Hall build on top of the spot.
The villagers were still afraid of the wild deity. Sometimes the ground below the veranda of the temple rises to a mound, and whoever touches that spot will be cursed.

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小諸市 Komoro

. Yakushi Yu 薬師湯 Hot Spring in 菱野村 Hishinomura .

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松川町 Matsukawa village

お薬師様,稲荷 Yakushi and Inari
Once a man and a woman stayed over night in the temple. The woman had fallen down and uttered a divine oracle.
"The old priest here had once been the Lord of a castle in his former life. A young monk had killed the Lord. Therefore the relationship of the old and young priest here is quite un-normaland in discord. If they build a shrine for Inari, the Fox Deity, all will be well."
The two priests of the temple did as told and from then on there was peace among them.

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松本市 Matsumoto

The Yakushi of 下金井 Shimokanai is said to be female and grant the wish for children. It also forgives いたずら all the bad deeds of children. But if grown-ups behave bad, they will feel her punishment.
Once there was a grown-up who scolded the children who threw mud ad the statue. That grown-up became ill soon afterwards.

Once the governor of Shinano, Minamoto no Shigeyuki 信濃の国司 - 源重之 (? - 1000) became an eye disease. He went to the hot spring 白糸温泉 Shiraito for healing and went to the nearby Yakushi temple every day. And indeed, his eyes were healed in good time. To thank Yakushi he had the temple rebuild a bit further down on the plain of Shimokanai.

Minamoto no Shigeyuki 源重之 (? - 1000)
an early Heian waka poet and nobleman.

He was designated a member of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals and one of his poems is included in the famous anthology Hyakunin Isshu. His remaining works include a poetry collection known as the Shigeyukishū (重之集).
- source : wikipedia -

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下伊那郡 Shimo-Ina district
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大鹿村 Oshika village

People who die with a grudge in this world will become a ghost and come back.
And if you walk around seven and a half round the statue of Yakushi sama a ghost will show up, its hands hanging down, no feet and long hair covering the face. The ghost comes out right from the grave.

長野県下伊那郡大鹿村の福徳寺 Fukutoku-Ji
. hi mizu no Yakushi 日見ずの薬師 Yakushi not to see the sun .

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天龍村 Tenryu village

Kannon sama 観音様 Kannon Bosatsu
The ancestor of the Kuge family, one 久下甚九郎 Kuge Jinkuro, was asked by the landlord せらだ正頼 Serada Masayori to carry the statues of Kannon, Amida and Yakushi on his back and flee the village. On his flight, he was attacked by robbers and shot with a gun. But the bullet hit the statue of Kannon in his backpack and he was safe.

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上田市 Ueda

. kaibyo Kotababa 怪猫小太ばば The Monster Cat Kotababa .
Kotaroo Yashiki 小太郎屋敷 The Home of the Kotaro Family

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- reference : nichibun yokai database -
56 (22)

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2015/11/12

Ruriji Temples

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. Yakushipedia - ABC-Index 薬師如来 .
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- - - - - Ruriji 瑠璃寺 temples names Ruri-Ji
- - - - - Rurikooji 瑠璃光寺 temples names Ruriko-Ji - Rurikō-ji 　
- - - - - Rurizan （るりざん）瑠璃山 Ruriyama

. Yakushi Rurikoo Nyorai 薬師瑠璃光如来 .
- Introduction -

Yakushi Ruriko, Yakushirurikō 薬師瑠璃光 resides in the Ruriko paradise in the East.
Medicine Master of Lapis Lazuli Radiance.

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- - - - - Fukushima 福島県 - - - - -

In Tohoku he is 薬師瑠璃子如来 Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai
and also related to the making of kokeshi こけし　wooden dolls.

. kokeshi and Yakushi こけしと薬師如来 .

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- - - - - Hyogo 　兵庫県 - - - - -

船越山るり寺 Funakoshizan Ruri-Ji
877 Funakoshi, Sayo, Sayo District　-- 佐用郡佐用町船越877

source : wikipedia

The main statue is Kannon with 1000 arms 千手観世音菩薩。

The temple was founded by 行基 Saint Gyoki in 728 on request of Emperor 聖武天皇 Shomu Tenno as a chokugan-ji 勅願寺.
It was protected by the 赤松氏 Akamatsu clan during the Nanboku Cho period.
Since the Edo period it is called 南光坊 Nanko-Bo.
The Rakugo story teller 桂南光 Katsura Nanko is also related to this temple.

- - - - - part of Pilgrimages to 30 Kannon temples
新西国三十三箇所観音霊場第33番 Nr. 33
播磨西国三十三箇所観音霊場第11番 Nr. 11

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Rurizan Denchuuji 瑠璃山田中寺 Denchu-Ji
兵庫県豊岡市中央町3-35

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- - - - - Nagano　長野県 - - - - -

上伊那郡 Kami Inagun 高森町 Takamori 大島山瑠璃寺 Ojimasan Ruri-Ji

長野県伊那 812 Ojimasan, Takamori, Shimoina District, Nagano
瑠璃寺の薬師猫神 Ruji-Ji no Yakushi Neko Kamisama

. Neko Yakushi 猫薬師 Yakushi Nyorai and the Cat .

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. Minamoto no Yoritomo 源頼朝 (1147 - 1199).

Once the samurai Minamoto no Yoritomo made an unofficial visit to Shinano (now Nagano), but he fell from his horse and lost his eyesight. He thought this must be a curse of the Gods. The someone told him this: He had passed the temple 大島山瑠璃寺 Ojimasan Ruri-Ji about one Ri to the West. This temple is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai and people have to dismount from their horse when passing it. But he had not done that and to show his remorse and apology, he sent a branch of his cherry tree from Kamakura to the temple. And indeed, his eye was healed.
The weeping sakura cherry tree can be seen at the temple to our day.

- - - - - HP of the temple

薬師瑠璃光如来三尊佛 Yakushi Ruriko Sanzon

The statues date back to the Heian period and are made in the style of Joochoo 定朝様. They are made from hinoki 檜 Japanese cypress. Even after 900 years there are rays of golden color coming from the face, neck and breast.

平安後期の主流を成した定朝様（じょうちょうよう）の優美な造形と、平安前期頃の重厚で厳しい尊要とが見事に溶け合って、深い魅力をたたえています。檜の素地仕上げですが、９００年の時を経て、顔・首筋・胸が金色の光を発しだしました。

瑠璃寺の本堂 Main Hall
This hall was built in 1672.
年現在の薬師堂が再建され、本尊の薬師三尊佛が収められました。現在薬師三尊佛は、瑠璃光殿に収蔵されているため、堂内には前立ち薬師如来と、四天王、十二神将が奉られています。
三間四方の小ぶりのお堂ですが、周囲の景観に溶け込み荘厳な雰囲気をかもしだしています。

源頼朝　寄進桜　地主桜
源頼朝　寄進桜　枝垂れ桜（天然記念物）
- source : takamori.ne.jp -

. Yakushi sanzon 薬師三尊 Yakushi Triad, Trias, Trinity .

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- - - - - Oita　大分県 - - - - -

. Rokugomanzan 六郷満山 .
in the Kunisaki Peninsula　国東半島, Oita Prefecture
Futago-ji　両子寺 - Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture

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- - - - - Saitama 埼玉県 - - - - -

Rurizan Yakuo-In 瑠璃山薬王院光明寺 Komyo-Ji
（るりさんやくおういんこうみょうじ）

- source : komyoji/Guide -

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- - - - - Tokushima 　徳島県 - - - - -

. Shikoku Henro Temple List .

17 - 瑠璃山 Rurizan　真福院　Shinpuku-In 井戸寺 Ido-Ji
徳島県徳島市国府町井戸北屋敷80-1

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- - - - - Yamaguchi 山口県 - - - - -

山口県山口市香山町７−１　/ 7-1 Kozan-cho, Yamaguchi-shi, Yamaguchi

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Ruriko-ji originated when the 16th century samurai Ouchi Yoshihiro built Koshaku-ji as the temple for holding memorial services for members of his family.

In 1442, a five-storied pagoda, a type of architecture that has existed in Japan since ancient times, was built by Morimi, Yoshihiros younger brother, in memory of Yoshihiro. Mori Terumoto, who ruled this region after the decline of the Ouchi family, brought Koshaku-ji with him when he moved to a different place, leaving behind only the five-storied pagoda.
In 1690, a temple named Ruriko-ji, which was located somewhere else, was moved to the location of the five-storied pagoda. This temple has been here ever since.The five-storied pagoda stands approximately 31 m high. Its wide, overhanging roof is distinguished for its gentle slope. One of the oldest five-storied pagodas in Japan, it is designated as a National Treasure. This pagoda is considered one of the most excellent buildings of the 15th and 16th centuries.'
- source : jnto.go.jp/eng -

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- Haiku and Senryu -

青葉蔭薬師瑠璃光の出湯とぞ
aobakage yakushi ruriko no ideyu tozo

shade under green leaves -
that's just right for a hot bath
of Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai

高橋睦郎 Takahashi Mutsuo (1937 - )

. Yakushi Onsen 薬師温泉 Hot Springs named Yakushi .

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