JAKUSHOIN
寂照院
JAKUSHOIN 寂照院
Jakushoin was founded in 819 by one of Kukai's ten great disciples, Douyuu. It is known for several Buddhist statues in it’s main prayer hall that are around one thousand years old. When Douyuu arrived at this land, a large tree towered over the property. The figure of Senju Kannon shined on the tree and the monk knew this should be location of his future temple. This temple is also the site of a bamboo grove with a very amazing origin.
The temple is surrounded on two sides by expansive rice fields. Rice fields are a common sight in this area and often create a feeling of nostalgia for many people.
Originally Jakushoin was one of 10 sub-temples that existed on the grounds of a much larger temple called Kainji.
Visitors to the temple must climb a flight of stairs to reach the main hall that was built around 60 years ago.
The main hall houses an image of the Thousand Armed Kannon that dates back to the 1200’s. Several other ancient statues can be seen here as well. Photography is permitted in this space.
To one side of the prayer hall and flanking the temple cemetery are hundreds of stone Jizo statues.
Behind the temple grounds is a dense bamboo grove with very interesting origins. It is said that the great Zen master Dogen Zenshi brought this type of bamboo, known as moso bamboo, back from the Jiangnan region of China in 1227 while there on a Zen training mission. Dogen planed the bamboo in an area behind this temple. It was the first time this variety was ever grown in Japan. The young shoots of moso bamboo are large, thick, soft, and have little harshness, making them suitable for food. The Otokuni area has since become well known across Japan for its delicious bamboo shoots.
At the entrance of the precincts, there is a stone monument which recognized this temple as "the birthplace of Japanese Moso bamboo". This grove was registered by the prefecture as a natural monument.
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