Temples and Shrines
Vajra and Ema, Tori gates and Shitenno, Jizo and Omikuji. There's a lot to learn about Japanese Temples and Shrines. Read some of the things I've learnt when in Japan, many that I'd wished I'd known the first time I visited.
Vajra – the thunderbolt April 23, 2019 The term vajra is a Sanskrit word that is usually defined as "diamond" or "thunderbolt." It also defines a kind of battle club that achieved its name through its reputation for hardness and invincibility. A diamond is spotlessly pure and indestructible. The Sanskrit word means "unbreakable or impregnable, being durable and eternal". As such, the word vajra sometimes signifies the lighting-bolt power of enlightenment and the absolute, indestructible reality of emptiness. The vajra objects usually are made of bronze, vary in size, and have three, five or nine spokes that usually close at each end in a lotus shape. The number of… Read more >
Buddhapada – footprints of Buddha April 22, 2019 The footprints of the Buddha (Buddhapada) are one of the early representations of the Buddha. The Buddhapada are highly revered in all Buddhist countries, and symbolise symbolize the Buddha's presence, as they are believed to be the imprints where the Buddha actually touched the ground. At the same time, the Buddhapada signify the Buddha's absence, now that he has entered nirvana, and thus are a reminder of the Buddhist ideal of non-attachment. The Buddha's footprints are usually depicted with the toes of all one length and with a dharmachakra (wheel) in the center. Other early Buddhist symbols also appear on the… Read more >
Ema – the Japanese wishing plaque April 21, 2019 Anybody visiting a japanese shrine must have seen the characteristic Ema boards or wishing plaques, covered in writting or artwork. Originally a Shinto custom, and therefore common in shrines, but they can also be found in Buddhist temples. Ema actually means horse picture. Horses were considered the vehicle of gods and therefore horses were often donated to shrines of wealthy worshipers. As not all could afford to donate a horse in hope that the deity would listen to their wishes, poorer worshipers began to donate horse figures and drawings. Over time this evolved and all sorts of artwork we donated… Read more >
Candles and Incense April 19, 2019 Often in front of the main temple there is a candle stand and an incense burner. Before praying one lights a candle and/or incense stick. The offering of candles is to shine a light on the darkness of the world and create the correct path towards Buddha. Candles are an age old traditional part of Buddhist rituals. In conjunction with incense and flowers, candles are placed in front of Buddhist shrines or statues and images of the Buddha as a mark of respect. They are often accompanied by offerings of food and drink. The light of the burning candle flame… Read more >
Torii gates April 17, 2019 Torii, the iconically Japanese gateways that typically mark the entrance to Shinto shrines are ubiquitous all over the country, and are even used as a symbol on maps to mark the location of a shrine. The torii marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred. The torri above and below is an icon of Japan, second only to Mount Fuji, the floating torii of Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Itsukushima torii is an example of a Ryobu style torii. At 16 meters, it is probably the largest wooden torii in Japan and is made… Read more >
Kannon – goddess of compassion and mercy April 16, 2019 One of the most common figures encountered in Japanese temples is Kannon-sama, in English, the goddess of compassion and mercy and in Japanese as Kanzeon Bosatsu. Like Jizo, Kannon is not a Buddha, but a Bodhisattva, a being who is able to achieve Nirvana but delays doing so through compassion for suffering beings. Kannon is extremely popular in Japan, mostly because she is atributted to answering many prayers and many miracles. Many temples are named after her, Kannon-ji, and no fewer than twenty-nine of the temples on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage are dedicated to her. There are many legends… Read more >
Shitenno – the four heavenly kings April 13, 2019 The Shitennล are Buddhist protectors of the four directions. They ward off evil, guard the nation, and protect the world from malicious spirits, hence the Japanese term Gose Shitennล, literally โfour world-protecting deva kings.โ Each represents a direction, season, color, virtue, and element. They are almost always depicted wearing armor and holding weapons, and are sometimes referred to as Generals. They will sometimes be found in the four corners of a temple's main altar. Lined up alongside other deities flanking the temples main statue is also quite common. Sometimes Shitenno will be found in the main gate of a temple,… Read more >
Lanterns April 11, 2019 Lanterns come in many shapes and sizes in Japan, as through the most of Asia. They are used in temples, on the way to temples, at festivals and not least in front of restaurants and peoples homes during festivals. The featured picture, above, is taken from my trip to Japan in 2014, where lanterns are set in the river on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Traditional lanterns come in three main types: ishidouru, tsuridourou and chochin; standing, hanging and paper lanterns respectively. The ishidouru: standing lanterns The ishidouru, standing lanterns, primarily of stone or marble in modern times,… Read more >
Jizo – guardian of travellers, children, and motherhood April 9, 2019 One of Japanโs most beloved deities, Jizล is the guardian of travellers, the hell realm, children, and motherhood. Everywhere in Japan, at busy intersections, at roadsides, in graveyards, in temples, and along hiking trails, one will find statues of Jizล Bosatsu decked in clothing, wearing a red or white cap and bib, adorned with toys, protected by scarfs, or piled high with stones offered by sorrowing parents. Jizo, protector of children: Perhaps the greatest influence on Japanโs tradition of decking Jizล statues in hats, bibs, scarfs, and toys comes from the Sai no Kawara legend attributed to Japanโs Pure Land… Read more >
Omikuji – Fortune telling April 8, 2019 At visits to shrines and temples, many Japanese draw a piece of paper called Omikuji, that tells their fortune for the next year. Omikuji has nearly 1000 years of history and is said to have started when people drew lots to hear a divine opinion on such things as predicting government decisions or choosing a successor. It has evolved into a way to predict the fortunes of individual people, showing a personโs overall fortune for the future as well as a prediction for detailed items including health, work, love, business, study and travel. The fee for Omikuji varies at each… Read more >
Shrines and Temples – how they differ April 6, 2019 In difference to the West, the Japanese do not identify with a specific religion. In fact, thereโs a common saying that the Japanese are born Shinto, marry Christian, and die Buddhist. Because of this fluidity, itโs not uncommon to see shrines on temple grounds and vice versa. The biggest difference between a Shrine and a Temple is the religion practiced - Shinto is practiced at a Shrine and Buddhism at a Temple. Shinto is indigenous to Japan, whilst Buddhism, is an Indian import that first entered Japan in the 6th century. The next observable difference is that a Shrine has… Read more >
Buddhist Statues April 5, 2019 Nobody can have visited an Asian country without wondering about the many different statues at temples, in parks, along paths etc. Along the Shikoku 88 route, within the main hall of each temple, there is a statue of the main deity, which is considered to be the central religious figure of each site. A deity is a god or godess, a supernatural being, with powers greater than ordinary humans, but who interact with humans to bring humans to new levels of consciousness. In Japan Buddhist statues fall into four main categories: Nyorai Bodhisattva (pronounced Bosatsu) Myรตรต Deva Nyorai statues These… Read more >
Godai – the five elements of Japanese culture February 28, 2019 The word godai combines the kanji for five (go) and great (dai), the name for one of the fundamental concepts in Japanese culture, the five elements: earth, water, fire, wind and void. The gorintou is the three-dimensional representation of the five elemnents, perhaps best described as a stack of geometric forms: at the bottom the square representing earth; above the square is a sphere representing water; above the sphere a pirmamid represents fire; a cresent sits on top of the piramid and represents wind; whilst the central Buddhist icon, the lotus flower, which represents the void. The gorintou is typically used as a gravestone and the… Read more >
Fudo Myoo – the immovable wisdom king February 27, 2019 Myo-o is the Japanese term for Sanskrit "Vidyaraja," a group of warlike and wrathful deities known in English as the Mantra Kings, the Wisdom Kings, or the Knowledge Kings. Myo-o statues appear ferocious and menacing, with threatening postures and faces designed to subdue evil and frighten unbelievers into accepting Buddhist law.ย They represent the wisdom of Buddhism, protect the Buddhist teachings, remove all obstacles to enlightenment, and force evil to surrender. The most famous, Fudo Myoo is known as the great, fearsome king of wisdom, a protector of the Buddhist teaching. He is always shown with a furious, glaring face, in… Read more >
Nรตkyรตchรต – the stamp book February 26, 2019 Anybody that followed me on my trip to Japan in 2018 where I visited 88 temples in Shikoku, is aware that at each temple I collected a stamp in my stamp book or Nรตkyรตchรต. For 300 yen, I queued up at the temple office and received 3 stamps and Japanese caligraphy. Whilst collecting them, I wondered what actually was written on each page of the book. Now I know. Based on the stamp in my book from Temple 13, Dainichiji - Temple of the Great Sun, where the lady below first wrote and then stamped (many did it the other… Read more >
Nio – benevolent kings February 26, 2019 The Niล are a pair of protectors who commonly stand guard outside the temple gate at Japanese Buddhist temples, one on either side of the entrance. The open-mouth version is commonly placed to the right of the temple, the closed-mouth version to the left. In Japan, the gate itself is often called the Niล-mon (literally Niล Gate). At Shintล shrines, however, the Niล guardians are replaced with a pair of koma-inu (shishi lion-dogs) or with two foxes. These mythical and magical shrine guardians are commonly (but not always) depicted with similar iconography -- one mouth open, one closed. The Niลโs… Read more >
Shrine etiquette February 25, 2019 Just as at Temples, there are a number of steps to follow when visiting a Shrine. The first thing one meets when visiting a Shrine is the Torri gate - the boundary of the shine's consecrated grounds. The proper procedure is to bow slightly just before passing under the torii gate, and enter through either the right or left side of the pathway. The center pathway is reserved for the enshrined deities. Be careful not to pass on the oustside of the gate, the intention of the gate is to welcome you. As at the Temples, the next step is… Read more >
Temple etiquette April 6, 2018 There are a number of steps one should follow when visiting a temple. These steps are recommended, but not compulsory. At the main gate (to ward of evil spirit's): Stand on the left hand side of the gate, put your hands togeter, and bow once. At the wash basin (to purify oneself): Wash yopur hands and mouth. At the bell tower (to mark one's arrival): Ring the bell once. Never ring when leaving, that is considered as bad luck. At the Main hall (the statue of the main diety is enshrined here): Light one candle and three sticks of insence. Ring… Read more >
Nรตkyรตchรต and Osame-fuda April 5, 2018 The stamp book or Nรตkyรตchรต is your proof that you have indeed visited each of the 88 temples. After worshiping at the temple, one takes it to the office and to have it signed and stamped. It costs 300 yen (2,3 โฌ) per temple. Name slips, or osame-fuda, are slips on which you write your name and address, date and a wish. You then deliver them in the temples nameslip box, in both the main and daishi halls. In addition, you give these to people you meet on your way that give you gifts (settai, or Osettai) or show you kindness. It… Read more >
Pilgrim Attire April 4, 2018 You don't have to use any of the attire, but you will be recognised as a pilgrim if you wear the white vest. Sugegasa - the wedge hat, that is useful for blocking the sun, or raingear. Kongozue - the staff, you take Kรตbรต Dashi with you when you carry the stock, and in return he guides you. There are rules associated to the staff; you take care of the staff before yourself; when you find somewhere to stay, wash the end of the staff and place it a safe place; don't tap the staff when walking over a bridge (as… Read more >
Shikoku 88 temple route March 24, 2018 Shikoku literally means "four provincesโ and the pilgrim's journey through the four provinces is considered to be a symbolic path to enlightenment. The theme of the Tokushima province (temples 1โ23) is Awakening; the Kลchi province (temples 24โ39) is Ascetic training; the Ehime province (temples 40โ65) is Enlightenment; and the Kagawa province (temples 66โ88) is Nirvana. The temples are primarily situated along the coasts, and many are situated in and the four main towns - Tokushima (temples 1-17), Kochi (temples 28-36); Matsuyama (temples 48-53) and Takamatsu (temples 78-87). The actual route is 1.1413 km - although this number varies, as there are often different routes to get from… Read more >
Kรตbรต Daishi (Kukai) March 18, 2018 Founder of the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage - in whose path one follows. Read more >