Torioi-Kannon Temple is one component of Western Pure Land.
Since no one wants to suffer when they die, the ’Korori’ Kannon faith was born. People are fine(‘pin-pin’) just before they die, and when they die, they want to die lightly(‘korori’). In Japanese, this is called pin-pin korori.
You can listen to the fun story of the monk. However, although it is in Japanese.
There are famous sculptures you should not miss in this temple. One of them is a monkey hiding from a eagle. It is said to have been made by Hidari Jingoro, a famous sculptor of the Edo period. However, it seems that there are about 100 works in the whole country, and the authenticity is unknown.
Western Pure Land, namely paradise after death in the direction where the sun sets, is where the Agano River flows out west from the Aizu Basin.
As I mentioned three types of Buddha statues, the latest type was ‘Amida’ who promises the happiness of the next life in an uneasy era when the plague spread and war began to break out here and there at Heian period end. “The next life begins from next day” was connected to sun set and people has believed in paradise after death in the west.
That is Western Pure Land.
niouzou in kamiunai yakushi
On the other hand, it seems that the people of the Middle Ages had traveled quite far. The Aizu Lord regretted that money would drop in other areas, and set up 33 Kannon tours in his territory by connecting 33 Buddhist temples with the same history as Nara, accomplishment of it would promise happiness for the next life.
There are many places of faith in Western Pure Land in Aizu, but choose below.
gingyo 800 years old
Shingu-Kumano Shrine
800 years old Ginkgo and huge worship hall without walls
kamiunai yakushi temple
Kamiunai-Yakushi Temple
(prior reservation)
The same style of Buddha statue as in Shoujiji Temple.
eryuji temple
Eryuji Temple
7m height Kannon(Buddha statue) carved in a standing tree with 30 statues including statues with wings like a christian angel statue.
Sake difficult to obtain
hiroki sake brewery
Faith and sake have always been linked. Great sake exists in Western Pure Land. ‘Hiroki’ is my favorite sake. Side dish is not needed and I enjoy it alone.
sake hiroki out of stock
“Even I can’t get it.”, said the worker in that brewery in Aizu Bange downtown. I failed to get fantastic sake directly.
Temple size is now small but the meaning is comparable to Yakushiji Temple in Nara, where the main statue is Buddha giving medicine to people.
If I write without fear of misunderstanding, there are three types of Buddha statues: Buddha, the founder of enlightenment, pharmacist (Namely ‘Yakushi’ is a medicine master in literary in Japanese.)who cures the illness of this world, and Amida who promises the happiness of the next life.
bandai mountains from shoujyouji
Advance reservations* are required to view Yakushi Nyorai(Buddha statue), but it is a good opportunity to know that there was a similar Buddhist culture in the area away from Kyoto and Nara.
*)Local people take care of the temple by themselves.
Small Detour
nanukamachi street in aizu wakamatsu city
There are many tourist destinations in Aizu-Wakamatsu City, but this site is about the countryside, so I will omit it here. I had a glance of historical street ‘Nanukamachi’ by chance passing through the city.
Sasano Kannon is one of the 33 Kannon pilgrimages in Okitama area, but it is especially admirable because the lord of the Yonezawa domain had visited it repeatedly. The roof is very large compared to the lower structure, and the sculptures under the eaves are rich and detailed.
sculpture of dragon and crane
good foot prayer
Kannon aims to relieve people’s suffering by changing 33 forms and faces, so 33 Kannon pilgrimage routes had been established in various areas, and it is interesting that industries such as local specialty products are flourishing there.
entrance gate of Sasano Kannon
facade of Sasano Kannon
In Sasano Kannon, lord Youzan Uesugi encouraged the hawk carving by only one engraving tool, and its technology has been passed down to the present day near the Kannon.
The hawk’s carvings made from the Enju tree, Japanese Pagoda tree, have a reddish exposed core that forms part of the design (see below left). It is said that Enju is good for longevity and success in life because it is written in Kanji, Japanese character, that the life span extends. Japanese people like these word games !
Hawk sculpture1
Hawk sculpture3
The famous saying* is displayed (see above right) because the store name is ‘Youzan’, which President Kennedy had respected. >Please read detail another post.
*)”If you try to do, it can be achieved, if you don’t, it will never be achieved. Achieving nothing is due to one’s own intention to not try.”
Hawk sculpture0 shop
Hawk sculpture2 workplace
I found something valuable in this shop. It’s a basket woven from mountain vines and sells for $3,000 to $4,000 per department store in Tokyo. See for yourself how much is here.
