January 15, 2009

Untoan (Zen Temple)/雲洞庵(禅寺)

This post is not food-related. Today, I visited Untoan, the largest zen temple in Echigo (today's Niigata).
この投稿は食に関することではありません。今日、越後(今の新潟)で一番大きな禅寺である「雲洞庵」(うんとうあん)に行ってきました。
Kuro Mon (Black Gate), the first gate you pass through after you pay admission (300 yen per adult and 100 yen per elementary school child) at the reception.
黒門。入場料(大人300円、小学生100円)を受付で払ってから最初にくぐる門です。

Aka Mon (Red Gate):
赤門:

On the left side on the next photo, you can see a pair of giant sandals made of straw.
次の写真の左側には、ワラでできた大きな草鞋(わらじ)が一足見えます。
The wooden board at the center of the photo says, "Did you tread the soil of Untoan?"
写真の中央の木製の板には、こう書かれています、「雲洞庵の土踏んだか」。

This board explains why. Beneath the stone-paved approach from the Red Gate to the Main Hall, the Lotus Sutra is inscribed on stones, one character on each stone, which are embedded at a depth of 1 meter. Legend has it that walking down the approach will erase your sins and bring you a lot of happiness.
この板にその理由が書かれています。赤門から本堂に続く石畳の参道の下には、法華経が一石に一字づつ刻まれ、1メートルの深さに埋め込まれています。言い伝えによれば、この参道を歩けば、罪を消し去り、多くの幸せが訪れると言われています。

Approach, buried under the snow:
雪に埋もれた参道:

Guest Hall (left) and Bell Tower (right)
客殿(きゃくでん)(左)と鐘楼堂(しょうろうどう、しゅろうどう)(右)

Main Hall:
本堂:

Photo taken from the entrance:
入り口から撮った写真:

Naga Iki no Mizu (Water for Longevity):
長生きの水:


Kiheiji (center) and Yoroku (left), getting a lesson:
教えを受けている喜平次と与六:
These two boys were later renamed Uesugi Kagekatsu and Naoe Kanetsugu, respectively.
この2人の子供たちは後にそれぞれ上杉景勝、直江兼続と改名しました。

A big..., sorry, I don't know.
大きな...,すいません、分かりません。

Inside the Main Hall:
本堂の内部:


Main Hall, taken from a different angle:
別の角度から撮った本堂:

Inside the Guest Hall:
客殿の内部:


Bell Tower, taken from the Guest Hall:
客殿から撮った、鐘楼堂:

Zazen Hall:
座禅堂:



Kaisan Do (Founder's Hall):
開山堂:


Treasure Hall:
宝物殿(ほうもつでん):


Bodhidharma:
達磨(だるま):

Kyaku-Hiki Kannon (Customer-Attracting Kannon):
客引き観音:

Mortar and pestle for making mochi (glutinous rice cakes):
臼(うす)と杵(きね)

Side approach, where the snow is melt by sprinkling underground water:
通用参道。雪は地下水を撒いて融かしています。


You may want to visit the official website of Untoan (Japanese only).
雲洞庵の公式サイトを訪問してみては?

2 comments:

MyTravels said...

I like the pictures and blog. I live in California and enjoy watching Tenchijin 天地人 on the Japanese TV station in San Francisco.
By the way..Echigo (former Niigata) does not match the Japanese text - 越後(今の新潟). Should the translation be "today's Niigata"?

Hiroyuki said...

RF Design Blogger: Thanks for your comments. You watch Tenchijin where you live? That's wonderful! This TV program is very, very popular in Japan, especially in Niigata, where Kanetsugu was born.
As for your suggestion, yes, you are right! I'll correct that according to your suggestion (laugh).