UNTIL AROUND 150 YEARS AGO the mountain of Rai, where the temple Sennyo-ji Daihioin sits, would have been filled with dozens, if not hundreds of shrines and temples. Most sites of worship were home to both Buddhist and Shinto beliefs, and worked in harmony with each other for centuries. All that came to a stop during the Meiji Restoration, in the 19th century. The restoration preferred Shintoism, which favoured the emperor’s ancestral lineage to the gods, where as Buddhism was an import from the previous government. Shrines and temples across Japan were ordered to separate these beliefs, and most of the sacred sites on the mountain were destroyed. Buddhist property and artefacts fell victim to a large amount of damage and loss due to anti-Buddhist movements at the time. The Monks at Sennyo-ji gathered all the important artefacts in the area, and placed them in Sennyo-ji to protect and preserve their historical, and cultural value. The temple is now home to the 500 stone Buddha disciples, many antique documents and a 16ft tall, 1000-armed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva wooden statue, the main interest of the temples faith.
The rest of the temple is free to walk around. The main maple tree is very popular in the autumn when it turns a vivid orange in its last burst of ethereal light before the winter sets in. The grounds host a small waterfall, several buildings and many stone statues that had been saved, in the beautiful gardens of the mountain. The local farming villages are quaint and beautiful on a blue-skied day. There are also many hiking courses and of course mountain climbing up Mt Rai (or Raizan) Getting here by public transport is a little tricky. I’ve found using Apple Maps most successful in finding the community buses that traverse rural Itoshima. Go early, and come back early. Pay close attention to the bus times.
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July 2020
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