Kosanji: Temple of Filial Piety - 1

See "Nikko of the West" Toshogu in the Seto Inland Sea

Takako Sakamoto Sep 20, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>'Koyomon Gate', the most breathtaking architecture of all, is modeled after the Yomeimon Gate at Nikko Toshogu Shrine</p>

<p>'Sanmon', the outer gate, is the first temple building you will see</p>

<p>Stone statues of Buddha nestled in the woods at the back of the main hall. The pathway on the left leads to 'Miraishin no Oka (Hill of Hope)'</p>

<p>One of the corridors on the wings of 'Koyomon Gate'. The multi-colored gorgeous decorations flabbergasted me!</p>

<p>When you pass by the five-storied pagoda, and then climb a set of stairs, you'll see this Koyomon Gate</p>

<p>Between Koyomon Gate and the main hall there is a stage set in a pond. In summer the pond is beautiful with lotus flowers in full bloom</p>

<p>Notice the difference between the Yomeimon Gate at Nikko Toshogu Shrine and this 'Koyomon Gate' - a replica. The decorative relief carvings and colorings far exceed the original gate</p>

<p>The Main Hall is fashioned after the Phoenix Hall of Byodoin Temple in Uji, Kyoto. It consists of the main structure in the middle (Chu-do), flanked by twin wing corridors on both sides of Chu-do</p>

<p>Koyomon Gate is the only architecture in this temple which was constructed using the exact measurements of Yomeimon Gate at Nikko Toshogu Shrine</p>

<p>The statue of 'Senju Kannon (Goddess of Mercy with 1000 hands)' housed inside the outer gate</p>

<p>I visited here on a warm spring day...and the beautiful irises in this garden made my day!</p>

Ikuchi-jima Island in the Seto Inland Sea is connected to the mainland Japan by the Nishiseto Expressway, aka: Shimanami Kaido.

I visited Kosanji Temple on Ikuchi-jima Island in May, 2013. This temple was founded by a Mr. Kosanji, a successful industrialist, who, out of gratitude and respect to his late mother, entered the priesthood and built this temple in his hometown to ensure her rebirth into the Buddhist paradise.

The uniqueness of this temple lies in the fact that most of the temple buildings were modeled after some of Japan's finest architectural monuments from renowned temples and shrines such as Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Byodoin in Kyoto, or temples in Nara. Still, the construction and arrangement of them are quite creative and are highly acclaimed. On a warm spring day, I was lucky to encounter this gorgeous temple on a idyllic, small island in the Seto Inland Sea...the most unexpected place to see something like this! To refresh and ease my mind, I am going to visit this temple again in the future.

Kosanji Series

Takako Sakamoto @takako.sakamoto

I was born in and grew up in Tokushima prefecture, and have lived in many places since then: Nishinomiya, Kyoto, Nara, Mie, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Fukuoka and Fukui. I am currently living in Yokohama City. All the places I lived, all the places I visited, I have loved dearly. The histor...