By Cathy Hirano

Having guided you to paradise (http://cathy.ashita-sanuki.jp/e601507.html ), I am back, as promised, with more on Honenji Temple. Unlike temples in Kyoto, this one never seems to be overrun with tourists, perhaps because it is supported quite well by its congregation and the surrounding community.


Hondo (main hall)

The temple is named after Buddhist priest Honen (1133-1212), founder of the Jodo (Pure Land) sect. Honen taught that everyone could attain paradise simply by reciting the Buddha’s name, a concept that threatened the status and power of contemporary Buddhist leaders. He was exiled to various places, one of which was Kagawa. Arriving in 1207 at the age of 75, he established a temple near Manno. Four and a half centuries later, in 1668, the first lord of the Takamatsu domain, a great admirer of Honen, had the temple moved to its current location and designated it as his clan temple. Although it was about 10 kilometers from his residence, locating temples on the outskirts of town like this was a common practice for Japan's rulers. Temple complexes could double as fortresses in the event of an attack, a precaution that reflected centuries of conflict.


Looking at the Sanbutsu-do (3-Buddha Hall)

Within the Honenji temple complex, Sanbutsu-do (3-Buddha Hall) is particularly special. (Please note that visitors are not allowed to take photos inside the buildings. The photos here are shared with special permission from the head priest.)

Like the path to paradise, the Sanbutsu-do is designed to be an experience. One enters humbly via an outer corridor in the side of the building.



Inside is a passageway dimly lit by ceiling lanterns



and watched over by white plaster Buddha figures made from the crushed bones that remain after cremation.



Beyond this lies an even darker passage lined with startlingly life-size wooden statues of the successive priests who headed the temple.



Only after braving the stern gaze of these men does one reach the final destination: a stunning 3-dimensional floor-to-ceiling reproduction of the Buddha’s ascension.



While paintings of this scene are common in temples, nowhere else in Japan has this scene been so lavishly reproduced in sculpture. In the center lies a massive carved statue of the Buddha around which are gathered his grieving disciples and representatives from all the worlds of being. Even after 3 centuries, this panorama still inspires awe.



This post would be incomplete without mentioning the pagoda. The first lord envisioned a pagoda as part of the overall plan but it was never constructed. Three centuries later, with the support of many believers and visitors, the lord’s plan was finally realized.



Completed in 2011, the pagoda’s structure follows a traditional design. A single cedar column hangs from the roof of the pagoda without touching any other parts and acts as a stabilizing force. This earthquake-resistant dynamic was recently utilized in the design of Tokyo’s Sky Tree.



Temple Admission: Admission is required only for viewing the Hondo (main hall) and Sanbutsu-do. Adults 350 yen, junior/senior high school students 300 yen, children free
Access
Kotoden train: Take the Kotohira line from Takamatsu Chikko station (near Takamatsu JR station) to Busshozan station (620 yen round-trip, 3 trains/hour; about 18 min. ride). Turn left (east) when you exit Busshozan station. Walk past a few streets and turn right (south) at the 4-way intersection. Follow the road until it comes to a hill. Bear right and go around the hill until you come to a big pond. Turn right and follow the road along the pond to the temple entrance. (About 15 min. walk from the station.)