Ryufukuji Temple in Autumn

 

Ryufukuji is a Zen temple in Yamaguchi City. Originally it was Rinzai sect but was later converted to Soto sect.

It is one of the best places in the city to view autumn colours as the approach to the temple gate is lined with maple trees.

Once you pass through the gate all turns yellow from a huge Gingko tree...

Like so many temples, it has been rebuilt many times and moved to different locations.

Its current location is within the grounds of what used to be the Ouchi Clan mansion.

The Ouchi were an ancient clan, claiming descent from Korean immigrants. They are also believed to have introduced the cult of Myoken into Japan.

During the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), when Kyoto was devastated by war, the Ouchi established Yamaguchi as an alternative to Kyoto with many aspects of elite culture.

They were eventually defeated by the Mori Clan who went on to rule most of the Chugoku region.

The main hall with its cypress bark roof dates to 1479 and is an Important Cultural Property.

A small building in the grounds is a museum with artitacts relating to the Ouchi Clan.

The original temple, before renaming and relocating several times, dates to the first decade of the 13th century.

The honzon is a Shaka Nyorai, the Japanese name for Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha.

The previous post in this series on my walk on day 23 of the Chugoku Pilgrimage was also another autumn colours extravaganza, the Sesshu garden at Jyoei-ji Temple.

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Buttsuji Temple 12 Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage

 

Like many Zen temples and monasteries, Buttsuji displays a portrait of Bodhidharma, the legendary monk credited with introducing Zen.

Located in the mountains north of Mihara on the coast of Hiroshima, Buttsuji was a huge monastery complex in its heyday.

Though much reduced in size since then, there are still multiple structures on either side of the Buttsuji River.

It was founded in 1397 as a Rinzai sect Zen temple.

At its peak it had 88 sub temples and 3,000 branch temples.

On the narrow road approaching the temple are several of the former sub-temples, like Yotoku-in , the second photo of this post.

The temple suffered periodic declines and rebuilding during the long period of warfare among the various clans vying for power and other fires.

In 1795 a big fire destroyed many of the main buildings but they were rebuilt by 1805.

In 1905 it became the head temple of the Buttsuji branch of Rinzai, with currently 47 branch temples.

WhenI visited on this trip the leaves were only just beginning to turn, but later the temple will attract many visitors for the full autumn splendor.

Earlier I posted on the small pond garden and the large karesansui garden....

The Lecture Hall dates to 1805 and has a seated Shaka Nyorai flanked by Manjusri and Fugen. The two photos above and the one below.

On  the other side of the river steps lead up to the Pagoda.

Below the pagoda are several other statues

The previous post was on the statues of the 500 rakan at Buttsuji.

Shaka-do & Myo-o-ji Temples 36 & 37 Shodoshima Pilgrimage

 

My final stop on day three of my walk along the Shodoshima Pilgrimage was a pair of temples sharing the same ground.

Number 36, Shaka-do, was part of another temple but was managed by Myooji temple in the Edo period and then moved here in the Meiji period I believe. The main hall is the only nationally registered Important Cultural Property on Shodoshima.

It is three bays wide and 4 deep and was built in the early 16th century. The honzon, a Shaka Nyorai, the "historical" Buddha is said to have been carved by the famous sculptor Unkei.

 Multiple sources say that Shaka-do is in some way the origin of the Shodoshima pilgrimage, but I can not find details.....

Next door is Myo-O-ji temple, established earlier than the Shaka-do, in the late 13th century and was rebuilt in the late 17th century.

The honzon is a Fudo Myo, said to be carved by Kobo Daishi, although some records suggest Gyoki may have brought it to the island earlier.

Photo 4 is of the Bishamondo attached to Myooji....

Unusually, the statue of Binzaru is inside a shelter and not on the verandah as is more common. It is also much darker than most Binzaru statues.

The previous post in the series was on the large Kameyama Shrine.