Seiganji Temple 83 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Seiganji is now a small, non-descript temple at the base of a mountain on Imazu Bay, but it was easy to find because of the many cherry trees in full bloom.

Founded in 1175, it is now a Shingon temple and the honzon is an Amida.

Imazu became an important port, for a while supplanting Hakata, and the temple grew quite powerful.

At its peak there were 42 sub temples and the temple controlled more than 1,800 cho of land.

Though not actually founded by him, the famous monk Eisai was involved with the temple.

He stayed here before his second journey to China from where he brought back the basis of Zen and founded the first Zen temple, Shofukuji, in Hakata.

The document he wrote about Seiganji's founding is the only extant document in his hand, and a National Treasure.

Above the temple is a small shrine to Hakusandaigongen, the Buddhist manifestation of the kami of Hakusan Shrines.

There is a rather nice Fudo Myoo statue and altar by the side of the steps leading up to the Hakusandaigingendo.

On top of the mountain is the okunoin, inner sanctuary, of the temple.

It is a Bishamonten Hall, which I will cover in the next post.

The previous post was on the Oimatsu Shrine in nearby Koraiji.