Ryokan, a monk of the Edo period known as a great Buddhist priest and revered by many people.
Did you know that Ryokan had ties to Kurashiki City?
In fact, Ryokan trained for about 12 years at a temple in Kurashiki City.
That temple is Entsu-ji Temple, located in Tamashima in the western part of the city.
It is a historic temple with origins dating back to the Nara period.
Even today, many tourists visit as the place where Ryokan trained.
Entsu-ji Temple is also famous for its historic main hall, impressive garden, and seasonal flowers and trees.
Let’s take a look at the appeal and history of Entsu-ji Temple.
The information presented was accurate when the article was published in May 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Entsu-ji Temple, an old temple on Mt. Hakkasan in Tamashima
Entsu-ji Temple is an old temple in Tamashima, in western Kurashiki City.
It is a temple of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, and its mountain name is Fudarakusan.
Its principal image is the Sacred Kannon Bodhisattva, also commonly known as Hoshiura Kannon, and it is designated a National Important Cultural Property.
Entsu-ji Temple is located about 1.3 kilometers southwest of the Kurashiki City Hall Tamashima Branch Office.
It sits atop a 90-meter-high mountain called Mt. Hakkasan, offering views of Tamashima’s town, industrial area, and the Seto Inland Sea.
Entsu-ji Temple is designated a Okayama Prefecture Historic Site, and the surrounding area has been developed as Entsuji Park.
The temple grounds are also a Okayama Prefecture-designated Historic Site; the main hall and seated bronze Jizo Bodhisattva statue are Kurashiki City-designated Cultural Properties; and Entsuji Park is a Okayama Prefecture-designated Place of Scenic Beauty.
Entsu-ji Temple originated when Gyoki, a monk of the Nara period, enshrined a Kannon statue on Mt. Hakkasan.
During the Genroku era in the mid-Edo period, a monk named Ryoko revived it, establishing a temple called Entsu-an. From 1714 onward, it was known as Entsu-ji Temple.
Entsu-ji Temple is also a pilgrimage site on several sacred circuits.
- Chugoku Kannon Pilgrimage: No. 7
- Sanyo 24 Flower Temples: No. 17
- Bicchu Ryokan Kokoro Temple Pilgrimage: No. 1
- Bicchu Asakuchi Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage: No. 1
- 108 Kannon Pilgrimage: No. 9
Entsu-ji Temple holds a Kannon festival on the 18th of every month.
Among these, May 18 and November 18 are designated as “Flower Kannon” days.
Various events are held at Entsu-ji Temple.
For details about the events, see the official Entsu-ji Temple website.
The training ground of the great monk Ryokan
Entsu-ji Temple is known as the place where Ryokan, a monk renowned as a great Buddhist priest, trained.
Ryokan was born in 1758, in Izumozaki, Echigo Province (present-day Izumozaki Town, Niigata Prefecture), in the mid-Edo period.
In Echigo, he met Kokusen. Ryokan came to train at Entsu-ji Temple in Bicchu Province, where Kokusen served as head priest, and became his disciple.
Ryokan trained at Entsu-ji Temple for about 12 years, from age 22 to 33.
In 1981, a statue of Ryokan was erected in the temple grounds.
The original work was created by Takashi Miyamoto, a sculptor from Bicchu-cho, Takahashi City.
Another place in Kurashiki City associated with Ryokan is Chorenji Temple.
Chorenji Temple was revived by Kokusen, Ryokan’s teacher.
For this reason, Ryokan is also said to have visited Chorenji Temple.
Highlights of Entsu-ji Temple
The grounds of Entsu-ji Temple are extensive and contain various buildings and other features.
Here are some of the highlights of Entsu-ji Temple.
Main Hall (Kurashiki City-designated Important Cultural Property)
The “main hall” has a thatched roof and a dignified atmosphere that evokes a sense of history.
Built in the mid-Edo period, it is considered the largest main hall among temples in Kurashiki City.
It retains its original appearance in excellent condition and is a highly valuable building, so it has been designated an Important Cultural Property of Kurashiki City.
The main hall enshrines the standing statue of the Sacred Kannon Bodhisattva, the principal image also known as “Hoshiura Kannon.”
The standing statue of the Sacred Kannon Bodhisattva is a National Important Cultural Property.
This standing statue of the Sacred Kannon Bodhisattva is said to have been made by Gyoki.
The standing statue of the Bodhisattva is not open to the public.
Rock Garden
The “rock garden” is located along the path from Shiomimon Gate at the temple entrance toward the main hall and Ryokan Hall.
It is a beautiful garden that makes skillful use of numerous natural stones arranged along a slope.
At the foot of the slope is a pond called Tsurukame Pond, where irises and other flowers bloom in spring.
Seated Bronze Jizo Bodhisattva Statue (Kurashiki City-designated Important Cultural Property)
At the top of the rock garden slope is the “seated bronze Jizo Bodhisattva statue.”
It is about 2.2 meters tall from the base, and an inscription states that it was made by Kondo Harima and Fujiwara Sadanobu of Kyoto.
It was made in 1758, in the mid-Edo period.
The seated bronze Jizo Bodhisattva statue is designated a Kurashiki City Important Cultural Property.
Mt. Hakkasan Summit Plaza (Hakkaseki Stone, Atago Shrine, and Ryokan Statue)
Continue climbing the slope where the seated bronze Jizo Bodhisattva statue stands, and you will eventually reach the summit of Mt. Hakkasan.
The summit is an open plaza, and the building at the far end is Atago Shrine.
Atago Shrine enshrines Shogun Jizo-son.
Atago Shrine is a restoration and reconstruction of Atago-do, which Ryoki, the third head priest of Entsu-ji Temple, once built on the mountaintop.
There is also a large, flat rock near the center of the plaza.
This is the “Hakkaseki” (White Flower Stone), which is connected to the origins of Entsu-ji Temple.
It was discovered in the Nara period by the famous monk Gyoki.
Kannon Bodhisattva descended here, and the stone was enshrined as a pedestal.
From then on, Mt. Hakkasan, where Entsu-ji Temple stands, became a sacred place.
There was also a statue of Ryokan in the mountaintop plaza.
The “Statue of Ryokan with Children” depicts Ryokan playing with children.
Ryokan is said to have been very fond of children and often played with them, for example, with a temari ball.
The statue of Ryokan with children was erected in 1966.
It was created by doll artist Hirata Goyo, a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property skills. It is 2.6 meters tall and weighs 6 tons.
Tamashima Hoshiura Hakkaen
“Tamashima Hoshiura Hakkaen” is located at the southern edge of the temple grounds.
This new spot was created in January 2021.
A Hakka Kannon Bodhisattva statue and a Miroku Bodhisattva statue have been erected here, facing the town of Tamashima and the sea.
According to Niho Tetsumei, the head priest of Entsu-ji Temple, “Kannon Bodhisattva represents wishes for happiness in the present, while Miroku Bodhisattva represents hope for the future.”
The statues express wishes for peace in the town of Tamashima and an end to COVID-19, and watch over the future of the community.
The view from Hakkaen is wonderful, offering a panorama of the town and sea.
It is also a sunrise spot, especially recommended for watching the first sunrise of the New Year.
Flowers and autumn leaves on the temple grounds and at Entsuji Park
A variety of flowers have been planted across the slope on the southwestern side of Entsu-ji Temple’s grounds.
From late March to early April, there are cherry blossoms.
From mid-April to mid-May, there are azaleas.
So many have been planted that when they are in full bloom, the scene is truly beautiful.
The views are also lovely, making it a delight to enjoy the flowers alongside the scenery.
Cherry blossoms and azaleas have also been planted around the main hall and Ryokan-do on the temple grounds.
There are also many maple trees around the main hall and Ryokan-do.
In autumn, you can enjoy the maples turning a brilliant red.
The fresh green maple leaves in spring and summer are also refreshing and well worth seeing.
According to Head Priest Niho, the lush green moss growing naturally on the temple grounds, including in the stone garden, is also beautiful and worth seeing.
Goshuin at Entsu-ji Temple
You can receive a goshuin when you visit Entsu-ji Temple.
If you would like a goshuin, after paying your respects, go to the temple office on the right side of the main hall as you face it.
When receiving a goshuin at Entsu-ji Temple, please pay a sutra-copying fee of 300 yen.
Entsu-ji Temple, one of Tamashima’s most notable sites
A place of worship dating back to ancient times, a historic site where Ryokan trained, and a place to enjoy beautiful nature and magnificent scenery throughout the seasons.
The many different facets of Entsu-ji Temple are part of its appeal.
Be sure to visit Entsu-ji Temple and enjoy all it has to offer.
Entsu-ji Temple Information
| Name | Entsu-ji Temple |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Fudarakusan |
| Buddhist sect | Soto Zen |
| Location | 451 Kashiwajima, Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086ｰ522ｰ2444 |
| Parking | Available Parking is also available at Entsuji Park parking lot |
| Principal image | Hoshiura Kannon (Sho Kanzeon Bosatsu) |
| Benefits | Worldly benefits, relief from hardship, recovery from illness, protection from misfortune, etc. |
| Goshuin (sutra-copying fee) | Available (300 yen) |
| Closed days | None |
| Admission | Free |
| Payment methods for admission and sutra-copying fees |
|
| Restrooms | Western-style and Japanese-style toilets |
| Website | Entsu-ji Temple, Soto Zen temple where Ryokan trained |
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