Did you know there is a temple called “Honeiji” south of Mt. Tsurugata?
Honeiji is just behind Inoue House, a National Important Cultural Property.
The main hall of Honeiji is a historic building said to have been built in the mid-Edo period.
What’s more, the main hall is also a venue for events such as “Kurashiki Jazz Street” and the “Kurashiki Byobu Festival.”
Here, we introduce Honeiji, a historic temple that also hosts events.
The information presented here was current when this article was published in January 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Honeiji is an old Nichiren Buddhist temple at the southern foot of Mt. Tsurugata
Honeiji is a temple at the southern foot of Mt. Tsurugata.
It is located directly behind Inoue House, a National Important Cultural Property.
Its mountain name (sango) is “Choko-zan.”
Compared with nearby temples such as Kanryuji Temple and Achi Shrine, it is less often mentioned in tourist information.
However, Honeiji is a venerable Nichiren Buddhist temple with a history dating back to the early Edo period.
Highlights of Honeiji
Here, we’ll introduce the highlights of Honeiji’s grounds.
Use this as a guide when visiting Honeiji.
Sanmon Gate
Directly behind Inoue House, on a slightly elevated spot with a stone wall, stands a large “sanmon” (temple gate).
Main hall built in the mid-Edo period
Passing through the Sanmon Gate, you’ll see the “main hall” right in front of you.
It is a large, impressive main hall, and its exterior has a newly renovated appearance.
But in fact, this main hall is very old, having been built in 1764, during the mid-Edo period.
▼ To the right of the main hall is a statue of Mizuko Kannon.
▼ To the left is a memorial pagoda for animals and birds.
Myokendo Hall
▼ The building to the left of the main hall is “Myokendo Hall.”
Enshrined in Myokendo Hall is Myoken Bosatsu.
Myoken Bosatsu is said to be the deification of the North Star and the Big Dipper.
▼ The torii gate is likely a remnant of shinbutsu-shugo, the blending of Buddhism and Shinto that continued until the Edo period.
Seishodo Hall, dedicated to Kato Kiyomasa
▼ The temple office is to the right of the main hall.
▼ Continue farther to the right of the temple office, and you’ll find stone steps leading to a slightly elevated area.
▼ Here you’ll find “Seishodo Hall.”
As its name suggests, Seishodo Hall is dedicated to the feudal lord Kato Kiyomasa.
He is a famous figure who also appears in school textbooks.
Kato Kiyomasa was a devout follower of Nichiren Buddhism.
For this reason, Honeiji, a Nichiren Buddhist temple, also enshrines Kato Kiyomasa.
There is also a Chinese quince tree to the right of Seishodo Hall.
▼ When we visited, the Chinese quince tree was bearing fruit.
▼ It seems to bear quite a lot of fruit.
▼ There was also a “Furaibo Unsui Monument” to the right of Seishodo Hall.
Bell tower
▼ To the left of Seishodo Hall is the “bell tower.”
The bell tower is a building that houses a bonsho (Buddhist temple bell).
▼ Honeiji’s bell tower is very tall, and its bonsho is positioned high up.
▼Beside the bell tower was also a small shrine.
View from in front of the Kiyomasa Hall and Bell Tower
Hon-eiji Temple sits slightly higher than the surrounding area, and the spot where Kiyomasa Hall and the bell tower stand is higher still, offering a view of the Bikan Historical Area.
▼Looking north, you can also see Achi Shrine’s Zuishinmon Gate, Ema Hall, and tall lantern.
Hon-eiji Temple hosts Jazz Street and the Byobu Festival
Hon-eiji Temple has a long history dating back to the early Edo period.
At the same time, it also serves as one of the venues for events such as Kurashiki Jazz Street and the Kurashiki Byobu Festival.
The main hall serves as the venue for both events.
This is a rare opportunity to tour the inside of the historic main hall, built in the mid-Edo period.
When Jazz Street or the Byobu Festival is on, be sure to stop by Hon-eiji Temple.
Hon-eiji Temple’s Goshu-dai
At Nichiren Buddhist temples, you can receive a “Goshu-dai” instead of a goshuin stamp.
▼Here is Hon-eiji Temple’s Goshu-dai.
When receiving a Goshu-dai at Hon-eiji Temple, you need to make a nokyo fee offering.
However, Hon-eiji Temple does not set a specific amount for the fee.
The temple cannot provide a Goshu-dai if the head priest is away or a Buddhist service is being held.
When receiving a Goshu-dai at a Nichiren Buddhist temple, it is advisable to prepare a separate Goshu-dai book (goshuin book) for Nichiren Buddhism, rather than using one for other Buddhist sects.
What is Hon-eiji Temple’s principal image and what blessings does it offer?
What kind of principal image does Hon-eiji Temple enshrine, and what blessings does it offer?
Hon-eiji Temple belongs to the Nichiren Buddhist sect.
Many Nichiren Buddhist temples enshrine the “Great Mandala” as their principal image.
The Great Mandala bears the words of the daimoku, “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,” at its center, surrounded by the names of the Buddhas recorded in the Lotus Sutra.
The blessings it offers are said to include “peace and security in this life” and “a good place in the next life.”
This means living a peaceful life in this world and being reborn in a good place in the next.
History of Hon-eiji Temple
Here, we’ll introduce the history of Hon-eiji Temple.
Hon-eiji Temple was not originally located where it stands today.
It was originally at the southern foot of Mt. Ashitaka, about 2.5 kilometers southwest of the Bikan Historical Area.
At the time, it was called Rengeji Temple, and its mountain name was Myohozan.
In 1635, during the early Edo period, it was relocated to Kurashiku Village, its present location.
At that time, a monk from Choko-zan Myohonji Temple in Hikigayatsu, Kamakura, was invited, and the temple’s name was changed to Hon-eiji Temple and its mountain name to Choko-zan.
Since then, it has been a place of worship in Kurashiki.
From the Writer
Hon-eiji Temple is an old, historic temple that also takes part in events such as Jazz Street and the Byobu Festival.
Temples may seem difficult to enter on an ordinary day, but during events, you can visit with ease.
When Jazz Street or the Byobu Festival is on, be sure to explore the historic main hall and temple grounds.
Hon-eiji Temple details
| Name | Hon-eiji Temple |
|---|---|
| Other name | Choko-zan |
| Buddhist sect | Nichiren Buddhism |
| Location | 1-41 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-2844 |
| Parking | None |
| Principal image | Great Mandala |
| Blessings | Peace and security in this life; a good place in the next life |
| Goshuin (nokyo fee) | Available (no set fee) ※ Not available when the head priest is away |
| Visiting hours | Daytime only |
| Closed | None |
| Admission | Free |
| Payment methods for admission and nokyo fees |
|
| Website | Choko-zan Hon-eiji Temple | Nichiren Buddhist Temple |
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