Taiseki-ji
Tahō Fuji Dainichirenge-san Taiseki-ji, more commonly just Sōhonzan Taiseki-ji, informally known as Head Temple Taiseki-ji, is the administrative center of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism. It is located in the foothills of Mount Fuji in Kamijo, Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 by Nikkō Shōnin, one of Nichiren Daishonin's senior disciples, on a land parcel donated by the pious believer Daigyo Sonrei, commonly known as Nanjo Tokimitsu.
The Head Temple is the home of the Dai Gohonzon, Nichiren Shoshu's object of worship, which draws pilgrim believers from various countries. The temple's open grounds are open to the public for sightseeing, though its religious buildings are restricted only to registered believers. Accordingly, adherents of the Soka Gakkai are not permitted entrance to the Head Temple grounds.
Description
Taiseki-ji is Nichiren Shoshu's administrative center, and its chief abbot Chief Priest is simultaneously the high priest of Nichiren Shoshu. The current 68th High Priest is Nichinyo Hayase who assumed the position on 16 December 2005.Taiseki-ji is the home of the Dai Gohonzon, Nichiren Shoshu's object of worship. This image is visited by believers who come on personal pilgrimages, to participate in regular ceremonies, or to take part in large events such as study programs, and similar large meetings. The temple is known for numerous historically significant buildings and gardens, national cultural assets, as well as features like the old weeping cherry trees that line its Tatchū Sando.
History
According to Nichiren Shoshu tradition, Taiseki-ji was founded in 1290 by Nichiren's disciple Nikkō on a tract of land called Ōishigahara donated by the district steward, Nanjo Shichiro Jiro Hyoe Taira no Tokimitsu . The name derives from an alternative reading of the kanji for Ōishi, Tai - Seki , and the character Ji, temple.Tokimitsu was a lay follower of Nichiren's and consequently Nikko Shonin. Taiseki-ji started with one small temple building, the Mutsubo with six rooms, but grew gradually as Nikkō's disciples built sub-temples. It went through further growth phases during the mid-Edo period and after the Second World War.
According to Nichiren Shoshu doctrine, their religious founder Nichiren willed that the image be established with a national shrine at the foot of Mount Fuji with a special title named "Honmonji" when the conversion of the Japanese Emperor and widespread propagation was achieved.
Due to its strong prohibition against accepting monetary donations from non-believers, there is no offertory box available at the temple. Believers are confirmed to be registered members before they are allowed to give "Gokuyo" or offerings. There is also no Goshuincho (御朱印帳 or "red stamping" of Daimoku or Talisman booklets normally sold to tourists, considered by the religion to be a form of sacrilege.
In addition, neither the Head Temple nor the religious stores outside Taiseki-ji accept any currency besides Japanese Yen towards any donation offerings, memorial service fees, food and lodging fees or any religious merchandise transactions.
Activities at the Head Temple
Gongyo
The Buddhist service of "Gongyo" is the basic supplemental service of Hokkeko believers. It is conducted first as the Ushitora Gongyo at the Dai Kyakuden, among other places throughout the Head Temple. In past centuries, the service was performed in five different locations:- Facing the sunrise direction
- Facing the Mieido
- Facing the Gohozo
- Facing the Kyakuden
- Facing the Mutsubo
- Junyoze — Reciting the prose of Chapter 2
- Seoge — Reciting the verse of Chapter 2
- Chogyo — Reciting the prose of Chapter 16
- Nyorai Juryo — Reciting the verse of Chapter 16
The current version of Gongyo since the 1930s is the recitations of Chapter 2 in prose and Chapter 16 in prose and verse along with the five morning and three evening silent prayers for the purpose of the following:
- Receiving protection from the Buddhist gods
- Prayer to the Dai Gohonzon
- Prayer for lineage of the priesthood
- Conversion of the Emperor of Japan and widespread propagation
- Prayers for deceased ancestors and their rebirth in Hokkeko
Tozan pilgrimages
Pilgrimage to Taiseki-ji draws adherents of Nichiren Shoshu annually through group trips that are planned by local branch temples, as well as private individual trips. This pilgrimage in the sectarian parlance is called "Tozan" for the purpose of worshipping the Dai Gohonzon in person. The sect bases this practice in the ancient custom of early supporters of Nichiren who also visited him during his lifetime over perilous roads and mountains, now re-interpreted as a similar pilgrimage towards the Dai Gohonzon, which represents Nichiren in a mandala format.The Gokaihi ceremony
In Japan, a "Gokaihi" is a ceremonial rite that exposes a particular sacred Buddhist image that is hidden and revered in a particular religion or sect. In Nichiren Shoshu ritual practices, this refers to the ceremonial audience with the Dai Gohonzon officiated by the High Priest granted to Hokkeko believers who have personally requested to participate, which is oftentimes the main purpose of a pilgrimage visit to the Head Temple. The volition of free will, confirmation of registered membership and an offertory fee is part of the protocol to enter the Hoando building to participate in the service.List of buildings
The following significant buildings are listed for their historical and architectural value:''Sanmon'' gate
The Sanmon gate is Taiseki-ji's "main front door" and has been designated as a Shizuoka prefectural cultural asset. It was built in 1717 with financial assistance from Lady Hiroko Konoe, the daughter of Imperial Princess Tsuneko and wife of sixth Shōgun Tokugawa Ienobu. A Gohonzon transcribed by 25th High Priest Nichiyu Shonin is enshrined within its upper floor. At the time, she donated 300 ryō for its construction. Positioned next to public government roads, it was significantly vandalized and defaced with graffiti in 1997. It was recently restored, and its Gohonzon was ceremoniously re-enshrined within again on 15 January 2021.''Mutsubō''
The first Mutsubō was erected in 1290 as Taiseki-ji's first building. It has been rebuilt many times since, but the Gohonzon it houses is attributed to temple founder Nikkō Shōnin dating from November 1332. It maintains its original design of having six rooms. The current structure, which uses much keyaki heartwood, was completed in 1988. The High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu proceeds to the Mutsubō on concluding Ushitora Gongyo in the Kyakuden to perform another gongyo recitation with young priests and acolytes.''Kyakuden''
The Kyakuden is one of the central structures where the majority of ceremonies are held, including Ushitora Gongyo by each successive High Priest every morning. It was built in 1465 and later rebuilt in 1998.The Kyakuden was rebuilt as the Dai-Kyakuden, with the assistance of the Soka Gakkai, a modern-style building inaugurated April 1964. That structure, was demolished in September 1995 and rebuilt as the current Kyakuden in 1998 with its wood-clad steel-framed edifice. The priesthood cited the Dai-Kyakuden's imposing ferroconcrete mass as incongruent with the architectural tone appropriate for a temple compound.
The Kyakuden is the site of Ushitora Gongyo, a daylight prayer service officiated by the High Priest or his proxy. The Ozagawari Joza Gohonzon, original paper on 13 October 1290 was rendered into wood and carved on 15 June 1706, now enshrined on the central altar on the second floor of the Kyakuden.
This 1706 wooden mandala is flanked by lifesize statues of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikkō Shōnin as a symbolic representation of “San—Po” or “Three Treasures style”, though the “Object of Worship” remains the central mandala. The two grand statues were carved in 1660 during the reign of 17th High Priest Nissei Shonin.
''Mieidō''
The Mieido is the hondō or main official hall of Taisekiji temple. It traces its history to a building called the Mido erected by Nikko Shonin when he founded Taisekiji in 1290. It takes its name from a lifesize image of Nichiren sculpted by Japanese Buddhist artisan Echizen Hōkyō Kaikei, a carver of Buddhist images. This image was enshrined in the year 1388 in a building that was then replaced in 1522. The current, classical structure was erected in 1632 with donations from the Lady Manhime Ogasawara, who was the wife of Lord Hachisuka Yoshishige of the Tokushima Castle.. The building is designed similarly to a Kabuki-za theater filled with various ornaments. In 1680, the Dai Gohonzon image was stored here for safekeeping. An enlarged statue of Nichiren is enshrined in front of the Mandala as the aesthetic of the building represents various Buddhist images.Several rounds of expansions, improvements, and repairs have been undertaken since then, and it was designated a prefectural tangible cultural property by Shizuoka Prefecture after major repairs in 1971. The most recent overhaul was finished in November 2013. The seven-year project entailed completely breaking down and reassembling the building piece by piece. All the parts were catalogued, mapped, and their condition recorded. Damaged structural members were repaired or replaced, and decorative fixtures such as transom carvings and other artwork, were painstaking restored. When the building was reassembled, aseismic structural augmentation was installed to protect it from earthquake damage. New gold leaf was applied to the indoor pillars, and all exposed surfaces were finished with vermilion using traditional methods. The building is known for its decorative transoms that depict various Buddhist deities that are believed to occupy the Treasure Tower of the Lotus Sutra.
A decorative Stupa is erected nearby the Mieido to commemorate the donations of Lady Manhime Ogasawara remains present to this day.