Sacred place of Heian Buddhism [Jingoji Temple] on the hillside of Mt. Takao

Leaf KYOTO A sacred place for Heian Buddhism [Jingoji Temple], which stands halfway up Mt. Takao

2023.8.29

A sacred place for Heian Buddhism [Jingoji Temple], which stands halfway up Mt. Takao

A temple related to Kukai, the founder of Esoteric Buddhism in Japan, which cannot be left out when discussing the history of Buddhism in Japan. Enshrined in the main hall is the Yakushi Nyorai statue, the second national treasure in Japan. It is always open to the public in the main hall, and is a valuable national treasure Buddha statue that you can see at any time. As the chief priest says, "I want you to sharpen your five senses and feel it," the sense of sight is the beautiful autumn leaves, the sense of hearing is the chirping of birds and the murmuring of the river, the sense of smell is the smell of the fresh green mountains, the sense of taste is green tea and sweets, and the sense of touch is the approach to the shrine. The atmosphere you feel when you climb the mountain and pass through the temple gate to enter the precincts. I want to purify my body and mind by feeling the sacred place where Kukai founded Heian Buddhism.

Contents of this article

1.: A majestic national treasure that you can see up close

2.: Towards the scenery I loved in Kukai

3.: Superb view Jizo-in Moss Garden

4.: Superb view from in front of the main hall

5.: The chief priest's favorite "Kaki monaka"

1.A majestic national treasure that you can see up close

The principal object of worship, which can be admired at a surprisingly close distance, is the statue of Yakushi Nyorai, which is designated as a national treasure. Said to be the pinnacle of single-wood construction, it has a majestic appearance and a sharp expression, giving off an overwhelming presence even in the main hall.

2.Towards the scenery I loved in Kukai

A kawarake spot in front of Jizo-in Temple, where a valley called "Kinunkyo" spreads out in front of you. Towards the scenery of the Takao mountains that Kukai loved, let's throw a kawarake as much as we can with wishes such as warding off epidemics and warding off evil spirits.

3.Superb view Jizo-in Moss Garden

One of the highlights of visiting [Jingoji] during the rainy season is the lush and beautiful moss garden. The moss green that spreads all over in front of Jizo-in is refreshing with a typical Japanese scenery.

During the autumn foliage season, the contrast between the blue of the moss and the red of the foliage looks beautiful.

4.Superb view from in front of the main hall

From the front of the main hall, which is located higher than the entrance, the beautiful fresh green of the mountains of Kyoto, which Kukai and others must have seen, spreads out in front of you. From the maple trees that stand on both sides of the stairs, you will be captivated by the transparent blue maple leaves hanging down.

5.The chief priest's favorite "Kaki monaka"

Monaka with persimmon in bean paste, which is hard to find anywhere else, is a favorite of the chief priest. Half a persimmon is used for each monaka, and the faintly fragrant yuzu is elegant and delicious. We recommend pairing it with matcha. The matcha set (600 yen) can be eaten at the teahouse in front of Kawarake.

Autumn leaves season information

Best time to visit: Usually early to late November
Visiting hours and admission fees are the same as regular visits.

Jingoji Temple

Jingoji
5 Umegahata Takao-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
About 20 minutes on foot from the bus stop "Kaohsiung"
Tel.075-861-1769
No parking
http://www.jingoji.or.jp/
[Normal visit]
Visiting hours/9:00-16:00
Admission fee: 600 yen for adults, 300 yen for children

PHOTO / Takahiro Takami (green maple), Katsuyuki Hatanaka (autumn leaves)
TEXT / Maho Nomura

*Please note that the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
*Since this site uses automatic translation, the translation may differ from the original Japanese content.

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