Hello everyone

This is Staff N.

Today was a happy day when I was able to meet three cats during posting.

However, after that, I got rid of it on my bicycle (laughs).

Please be careful when riding a bicycle.

By the way, I would like to introduce more about Zenkoji Temple in Nagano Prefecture, which I introduced earlier.

The statue of Nio and the three treasures of Aragami and Daikokuten behind the statue of Nio are both made by Koun Takamura and Unkai Yonehara, who are famous as modern sculptors. The statue of Nio is the opposite of the general arrangement. A-un (total height 617.2 cm) is placed on the right and A-un (total height 595.1 cm) is placed on the left.

As a feature of modeling, Koun Takamura incorporates many Western techniques. The prototypes of the 1/4 Nioh statue and the 1/3 Niten statue used in the star-picking method to make a large statue from a small prototype are exhibited at the archives in the Nihon Chureiden. In addition to that, Koun Takamura and Unkai Yonehara are trying to create a new statue of Nioh, which is a Western style that has never been seen in traditional Japanese sculpture, such as the balance between the body and head of the statue and the expression of muscles. It is a statue with the thought of. In addition, the statue of Nio was not colored in order to keep its appearance unchanged even after 100 years. Therefore, the statue of Nio at the time of its construction was white as it was made of wood. The current darkened appearance is due to aging. Recent research has revealed that the statue of Nio is self-sustaining by balancing the center of gravity, which was a great surprise.

This powerful A-un is cool, isn’t it? I feel like I’m being watched everywhere, but I’m sure. Some worshipers enthusiastically took pictures of only their feet.

The Nioumon was erected in the second year of the Horeki (1752), but it was burnt down twice due to the Zenkoji earthquake, etc. It was rebuilt with a 14m frontage of about 13m and a depth of about 7m made of zelkova. At this gate, the amount of “Fixed amount mountain”, which is the mountain number of Zenkoji, is listed. Until the reconstruction, the statue of Nioh, who was familiar as the Nioh of Roza, is currently enshrined in front of Iiyama Station.

Kyozo is a five-storied four-sided treasure-shaped hall built in 1759. In 1974, it was designated as an important cultural property as a Buddhist textbook representing the Edo period.

In the center of the interior is the octagonal ring storehouse [Rinzo], which contains a total of 6,771 volumes of the Tetsugen Oubakuban [All Sutra], which covers the Buddhist scriptures. It is said that if you push a huge ring storehouse with a height of about 17m, a weight of about 5t, and a depth of about 15.4m in a clockwise direction, you will get the same merit as reading all the “All Sutras” contained in it. ..

I also turned this, but I wasn’t told to stop, so I went a little too far (laughs).

Also, at the entrance to the Buddhist textbook, there is a statue of the priest [Fudaishi] who invented the wheel storehouse. In addition, the statues of both ennin and ennin are enshrined in the Keizo. Also, in front of the Keizo, there is a reincarnation tower [Rinnetou] that turns a stone ring engraved with the six characters of Namu Amida Butsu, and it is said that by turning the ring, you can accumulate merit and make a paradise.

Staff N has also turned around like a hamster. Be careful not to get too desperate and pinch your fingers.

The stone monument where the footprints were dug to the west of the mountain gate is the Buddha footprint that was erected by Daikanjin Kojun in 1838. Buddha footprints have been the object of worship even before the Buddha statue was made, and have been used as one of the proofs that the Buddha existed there since ancient times. Worshiping the footsteps of the Buddha is said to extinguish the myriad of sins, just like worshiping a living Buddha.

It is said that the Buddha has “32 phases [sanjuniso] 80 kinds of [Hachijishugo]” which is different from ordinary human beings, but on the soles of his feet. There are seven kinds of patterns and conch shells called “Zuisho Shichiso”. It has been a place to wish for good health for some time, and many runners are joining hands before and after the Nagano Marathon, which is held every April, hoping to finish the race.

N also became a runner’s knee even though he was not a runner due to overdoing Ring Fit Adventure, so I asked for it here.

The successive transfer of merit pillars [Rekidaie Kobashira Osamejo] are on the way from the Sanmon to the second parking lot. This yard is lined with several large wooden pillars. This pillar is called a revolving pillar, and is a symbol of the opening of the book, which is held once every seven years, and serves as a bridge between the main idol and the people. The pillar of merit will be moved to this depot after the opening of the book, and will return to the soil after many years with the thoughts of the people.

Currently, there are ten turning pillars from 1955 (Showa 30) to 2015 (Heisei 27), and the oldest pillar is about 30 cm in height.

Looking at this tree, you can see the passage of time and how it returns to nature over the years, which is very emotional.

The stone pavement [Ishidatami], which is about 460m long and 8m wide from the entrance to the precincts, was donated by Heibei Otakeya of Edo Nakabashi in 1714. It is said that there are 7,777 sheets since ancient times. Heibei left the house after the donation and called himself “Dosen”, and the grave remains in the graveyard of Mukai Buddha in Zenkoji Yamauchi. Currently, this stone pavement is designated as a cultural property of Nagano City.

Rumor has it that local elementary school students counted only 6000 in practice …

The bell tower, which was reconstructed in 1853, is built with six pillars, named after the six characters of Namu Amida Butsu. The roof was changed from a tiled roof to a cypress bark in 1926. The Bonsho is older than the building and was cast by Takahashi Byakuren in 1632, but it was burnt down by a fire in 1642 and rebuilt in 1667. It is designated as an important art object. It is popular as a bell that tells the time every hour from 10 am to 4 pm every day. Furthermore, at the Nagano Olympics, it became famous as the bell that announced the opening.

On January 7th, the general public can also hit it as a crowded bell.

In the inner Buddhist temple, there is a mural painting by Kosetsu Wilderness, a representative of modern Japanese painters, depicting the luck of Zenkoji Temple. Contains the cherry blossoms of the painter Hiroshi Senju.
In addition, the stone statue of the cow in front of the Unjoden is now a place for animal memorial services, and the remains of the holy cow sent as a proof of friendship between Japan and India in 1951 are also buried.

And there are 39 shukubo in Zenkoji, each with a temple and a priest. The chief priest serves and protects Zenkoji Nyorai, and at the same time, he treats and takes care of worshipers from all over the country with the heart of serving the Buddha. Each shukubo, which has maintained a long tradition, welcomes you with its unique atmosphere and characteristics while being dignified.
In addition, you can enjoy the unique vegetarian cuisine as well as the shukubo cuisine with each taste.

Next time, I definitely want to stay at the shukubo and worship in the morning.

I couldn’t take a picture because it was prohibited, but what impressed me most was the beauty of the Chancel.

If you like antique art, you will surely be impressed.

See you soon