Tōchō-ji

Tōchō-ji (東長寺) is a Shingon temple in Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan. Its honorary sangō prefix is Nangakuzan (南岳山). It was founded by Kūkai in 806, making it the oldest Shingon temple on the island of Kyushu.

History

According to tradition, Kūkai or Kobo-daishi set up this temple when he came back from China and prayed for the eastward dissemination of Tantric Buddhism. It was originally situated by the seaside, but after burning down at the end of the 16th century, it was relocated to the present site by Kuroda Tadayuki, the second lord of Chikuzen province. The second, the third, and the eighth lord of the Kuroda clan are buried here.

Senju kannon

The temple houses a senju kannon ('thousand-armed Goddess of Mercy', Avalokiteshvara) statue made in the Heian era. It was carved from a single log of Chinese black pine. The statue is only 87 centimeters in height but stands up with a stately atmosphere. As a "hidden Buddha" it is concealed and can only be seen during the birthday celebrations for Kūkai. In 1904, it was designated as a national treasure.

Rokkaku-dō

This is a hexagonal (rokkaku) building with revolving bookshelves for sutras and sculptures. In 1842, the local merchant Bungoya Eizō raised money from merchants throughout western Japan and invited a carpenter named Itō Hirazaemon to build this sanctum. The building is open on the 28th of every month^[1]

Daibutsu

The carving of a daibutsu, or large Buddhist statue, started in 1988 and it took four years to finish. The statue is 10.8 meters in height and 30 tons in weight. After the daibutsus of Nara and Kamakura, this is the largest statue of a seated Buddha in Japan. The ring of light behind the Buddha stands 16.1 meters in height and is carved with numerous images of Buddha. Besides the statue is a treasure exhibition hall.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
  Kūkai
• 
• 
  1821

External references

• Yokanavi.com

Japanese Buddhist architecture

Architectonic elements	hidden roof hisashi irimoya kaerumata: see nakazonae kairō karahafu karesansui kentozuka: see nakazonae komainu katōmado mokoshi moya nakazonae Niō or Kongōrikishi sandō shichidō garan shōrō sōrin tokyō tōrō onigawara
Mon (gates)	karamon nijūmon niōmon rōmon sanmon sōmon torii
Buildings	Chinjusha chōzuya/temizuya -dō main hall (kon-dō, hon-dō, butsuden) kuri kyōzō or kyō-dō shoin
Japanese pagodas	gorintō hōkyōintō hōtō kasatōba sotōba muhōtō tahōtō
Styles	Daibutsuyō Wayō Setchūyō Shoin-zukuri Shin-Wayō Zenshūyō Ōbaku Zen architecture
Others	A-un ken

Schools and objects of worship

Major schools	Jōdo Nichiren Shingon Tendai
Zen schools	Sōtō Ōbaku Rinzai
Nanto rokushū	Jōjitsu Hossō Kusha Kegon Ritsu Sanron
Objects of worship	Amida Nyōrai Benzaiten Dainichi Nyorai Jizō Kannon Marishi-ten Shaka Nyorai Shitennō (Four Kings) Twelve Heavenly Generals (Jūni Shinshō) Yakushi Nyorai

Other elements

Implements	kei (ritual gong) mokugyō
Others	bussokuseki butsudan Glossary of Japanese Buddhism Japanese Buddhist pantheon jingū-ji miyadera saisenbako