500 Rakan at Raizan Sennyoji Daihioin Temple

 

Rakan is the Japanese word for arhat, a sanskrit word that roughly means an enlightened person.

The exact meaning has changed over time and within different Buddhist traditions, but in general, they are perceived as disciples of the historical Buddha.

Statues of rakan have been popular since ancient times in Japan with some statues of them at many temples. Though 500 is the number often bandied about, there are not so many examples of all 500 being on display.

Not sure how many are here at Sennyoji Temple in SE Fukuoka, but certainly more than 100.

One of the features of rakan is that each one is an individual with different faces and expressions.

This has led to the oft-repeated assertion that if you look closely at the group you will find some that look like people you know.

These rakan at Sennyoji can be seen from the corridor that leads up the hillside to the Kannon Hall and Founders Hall.

Other posts of mine that feature rakan are the one on Rakanji Temple in Iwami Ginzan,  and a series from Jizoji on Shikoku that features quite large, wooden rakan.

A very unusual collection of rakan can be found at Isshiteiji Temple in Matsuyama, Ehime.

The previous post was on the lower part of the temple, and prior to that on the two gardens here. The next post is on the Kannon and Founders Hall.

Kobori Enshu Garden at Raikyuji Temple

 

Kobori Enshu ( 1579 - 1647 ) was an aristocrat most well known for being a Tea Master.

He was also a painter, poet, and probably the most influential garden designer of the early Edo Period.

His garden at Raikyuji Temple is considered one of his earliest garden designs.

Raikyuji is a Rinzai Zen Temple  located in the castle town of Takahashi in Okayama.

The castle, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, is one of the 12 castles in Japan still with an original tenshu, or keep, and  is also the highest castle in Japan.

Raikyuji Temple's founding date is unknown but it was rebuilt here in 1339 as Ankokuji Temple.

In the early 16th century the temple was developed by the lord of the castle, Ueno Yorihisa. His grave is at the temple.

The temple was destroyed in a battle in 1575 but was rebuilt by the victors.

Following the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu installed Kobori Masatsugu to rule the area.

The castle was still in a state of disrepair after the battle of 1575 so Kobori lived in and administered the area out of Raikyuji Temple.

Following his death in 1604 control passed to his son Kobori Masakazu who would later become known by the name Enshu.

He lived at the temple for 15 years and is believed to have designed the garden during that time.

The garden can be viewed from both the Shoin and building next door.

On the north side of the shoin is a small pond garden to the rear of the main hall.

The garden features heavily-pruned azalea bushes.

Obviously, when they are in bloom in May then the garden takes on quite a different appearance.

the focal point of the garden is a Crane Island with its upright central stone.

Behind it is a Turtle Island, though it is somewhat hidden.

The garden incorporates the "borrowed scenery" of Mount Atago behind it.

A stone lantern dating to 1339 is a focal point of the garden between the two buildings.

In 1974 the garden was registered as National Scenic Beauty Spot.

On this trip I visited Takahashi on Day 6 of my walk along the Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage. The previous post was on the photogenic Kiyama Temple.

Sennyoji Daihioin Temple 82 Kyushu Pilgrimage

 

Sennyoji Daihioin Temple is located high up on Mount Raizan, a 955 meter high mountain in the Sefuri Range that straddle the Fukuoka-Saga border.

It claims to have been founded in the year 148 by an Indian monk who has been given the Japanese name of Seiga Shonin.

This is about 400 years before the official introduction of Buddhism into Japan.

During the Kamakura Period it was an important prayer temple against the Mongol invasions.

At its peak it is believed at least 300 monks lived here.

It was located a little higher up the mountain and was part of a shrine-temple complex with Raizan Shrine.

After the Kamakura Period it fell into decline with only the main temple building remaining.

In 1753 the daimyo of Fukuoka, Kuroda Tsugutaka built Daihioin Temple at the current location.

In early Meiji when the edict separating Buddhas and Kami came into force all the statues and documents from Sennyoji were moved to Daihioin and Sennyoji was demolished.

In this post I will just look at the buildings and artwork on the lower level of the temple. The Kannon Hall and Founders Hall are higher up and will get their own post later.

There was a small waterfall for practising purification by water, and several smaller Fudo Myo statues were around it.

Dosojin were in earlier times phallic stones that later became carvings of a male-female couple, usually "cute". This one combined both ideas.

To view the pond garden you enter the Reception Hall and it had numerous artworks on display incuding a picture of Raijin, (final photo) the God of thunder and lightning after whom the mountain is named.

There was also a nice painting of Enma, the King of Hell ( second to last photo)

Like all the other 108 temples on this pilgrimage, Sennyoji Daihion is a Shingon Temple.

There will be a couple of other posts on this temple as there is plenty to see, so well worth the trip off the beaten track to visit.

There are infrequent buses up to Sennyoji so you need a car, or as I did, walk it.

The previous post was on the gardens at the temple, including one based around a 400 year old maple tree said to be planted by Kuroda Tsugutaka. The next post is the 500 rakan statues on the hillside., and the final post is on the Kannon and Founders Hall.