SHOJIJI
(HANA NO TERA)
勝持寺
Hana no tera 勝持寺
A short walk away from Oharano Jinja and Shohoji lies Shojiji, a small Tendai-sect temple known for its cherry trees in spring and maple trees in autumn. Founded in 679, Shojjii once had as many as 49 buildings on its original precinct, but unfortunately many of them were destroyed during the Onin War in the second half of the 1400’s. The temple is connected with the samurai turned poet-monk named Saigyo who stayed on the grounds as a young man and wrote a poem describing the bothersome tourists who only came to the temple to gaze at the cherry blossoms.
Fudo Myoo Hall
At the beginning of the Heian period (700’s), one of the most well-known monks in the history of Japan- Kobo Daishi, prayed for the illness to be dispelled by Fudo Myoo for those who suffer from eye diseases. Since then, this has been a site to worshipe Fudo Myoo as an immovable power of healing various illnesses.
One of the historical figures most linked to the temple is Saigyo, a 12th c. Japanese poet. After becoming disenchanted with his life as a samurai, he retired at age 22 to become a monk. Particularly interested in the relationship between Buddhism and nature he settled at Shojiji after a period of wandering in the countryside.
It is said that it was here that he wrote this poem:
Hana min to muretsutsu hito no kuru nomi zo atara sakura no toga ni wa arikeru.
Which translates to:
Throngs of visitors
One after another
To view the cherry blossom –
It’s all the fault of the tree, regrettably,
For being so beautiful
Veranda leading to the Treasure Hall
The Treasure House contains a large collection of statues from as early as the 900’s. Unfortunately photography is not allowed in this area. There is an image of the Yakushi Buddha, Buddha of Medicine, and a set of 12 statues representing the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Most notably is a rare example of Tainaibutsu, a small buddha statue located inside the ‘womb’ of a larger buddha statue.
Binzuru seated outside the Main Hall
On the grounds there is also a statue of Binzuru, a disciple of Buddha and medicine man who had the power to cast away evil spirits and sickness. Because of his love of alcohol he was eventually shunned by the Buddha, hence he is seated on the outside of the main hall. It is said that if visitors rub Binzuru on the part of their body where they feel pain, they will be cured.