If you’re ever planning to go to Nagano, then you might want to see if you can find time to see Zenkōji Temple. I managed to visit in January and while it didn’t snow at that time, it still felt like a worthwhile trip. I got to see some amazing views and the place had this mix of solemnity and energy (thanks to Nakamise street) that you typically won’t find in most places of worship.
Zenkōji Temple: A Place Rich in History and Culture
The first thing to grab your attention as you walk around the temple complex is this huge gate. Known as the Niomon Gate, this imposing structure just seems to dominate the landscape. I’ve heard and read a lot of things about the gate and seeing it now, it definitely lives up to its reputation.
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Before closing in on the gate, I took these pictures of a poster advertising an exhibition at the Nagano Prefectural Art Museum. The exhibit started on the 1st of February and goes up until the 6th of April. It’s essentially a showcase of paintings and art that hail from the Shinshu (the traditional name of Nagano) region in the last 50 years. Though it’s not in Zenkōji, the museum is pretty close by.
I was curious what these were so I decided to ask around. Apparently, these are what’s called Shukubo or temple lodgings. There are about 39 of these lodgings and I’ve also read that visitors can book a room here through tour packages from various sites/organizations.
This is probably the most macabre thing I’ve come across in this trip to Japan. So basically, this is an ad for the Zenkōji Unjoden Ossuary. This is basically a place where you can have your bones/ashes interred of course at the right price. The ad states that interment in the ossuary is possible regardless of the deceased religious affiliation.
This is a sign detailing the erection and restoration of the 48 lanterns that once lined the main approach (Omotesando) going to Zenkōji temple. This dedication is dated March of 2022 and it also expresses gratitude to Zenkōji temple, local districts, businesses, and 5600 for their support of the project.
A closer view of the Shukubo. Not pictured but the block opposite this row of temple lodgings is the Daihongan of the Jodo sect of Buddhism. The Daihongan is headed by a head priestess who jointly manages the Zenkōji temple complex with the head of the Tendai sect (who manages the Daikanjin temple).
I’ve finally reached the Niomon Gate and it looks even more imposing up close. So I did a little research about this gate and found that its literal translation is “two kings gate”. These “kings” probably pertain to the two guardian statues that make up the gate’s columns.
This is a sign detailing the history of the Niomon gate. Evidently, this is not the original and was made in 1919 when that gate was burned in a fire a hundred years prior. The sign further explains that the statues on this gate were made by master sculptors Kuon Takamura and Unkai Yonehara.
One of the two guardian deities of the gate. Called Agyo, what differentiates it from the other statue is that its mouth is open. In Buddhism, this is said to represent the invitation of good, beginnings, and life itself.
Whereas Agyo has its mouth open, Ungyo is the opposite and is always depicted with its mouth closed. This is meant to signify death or the end of things and the shutting out of evil. Both Agyo and Ungyo serve as protectors of the temple especially against demons and other evil spirits.
I will say that the details on these statues look really life-like (outside of their faces of course) especially the muscles and the hands. If I was an evil spirit then I’d totally hightail it out of this place once I see these guys.
Just behind Agyo and Ungyo are two other guardian deities that protect the temple. This sign details the lore and role of one of them. Sampo Kojin is the guardian deity who, in Buddhist belief, protects the Three Treasures of Buddhism. Usually depicted as having 6 arms and 3 faces, this guardian deity is said to be wrathful and hates impurities.
Sampo Kojin is on the same column as Ungyo and in comparison it’s a little smaller in size to the other guardian deity. Make no mistake though, this statue still looks large and is even more detailed. Understandably, it’s not as exposed as Agyo and Ungyo.
Behind Agyo is a statue of Sanmen Daikokuten and this sign details the history of this statue. The statue combines Daikokuten or Mahakala, Bishamonten, and Benzaiten. Worshippers of this deity typically pray for good fortune, wealth, and food.
Here’s the view of the Niomon gate after I passed through it. I will say that the gate does look like it’s well maintained and I wouldn’t have guessed that it’s already past a hundred years old at this point in time.
Now I’ve finally reached Nakamise street. I was surprised that it wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be. Then again, it was a bit cold when I visited (it was in the winter though there wasn’t any snow yet) so not having that many people here is understandable.
Look at these cute Sumikko Gurashi baby castella cakes! If you’re a fan of these San-X characters then you might want to get these. Just make sure that you’re not walking around the temple complex while munching on these cute baby castella cakes though.
Make sure that you read the temple’s visitor policies if you haven’t yet. These signs are everywhere and will help you avoid making any faux pas while you’re here.
Once you’ve gone past Nakamise-dori, you’ll be greeted by this sign for the Komagaeri Bridge Lane. The inscription on the sign provides a bit of historical context for the bridge and how it got its name.
Here are the rates for admission to the temple complex’s major attractions. For just JPY1200, you can get inside the Main Hall, Main Gate, the Scripture House, as well as the Museum. You can also choose to just pay for admission to the Main Gate and/or Main Hall for JPY600 each. If you’d rather check out just the Scripture House, the admission fee is a lot lower at JPY300.
Here’s a map of the temple complex as well as pictures and summary of what you’ll find in the various temples and halls here. I think it might be worthwhile to check on this infographic first if you’re still not sure which hall or building to visit.
A sign for the Roku Jizo or the Six Ksitigarbha. You’ll find this sign and the statues of the Roku Jizo on the right side of the path going to the Sanmon and just before the bridge connecting this path to the Daikanjin.
A wider view of the Roku Jizo. There’s a saisen bako here for your offerings as well as an incense burner. I’m not sure why but there’s this otherworldly vibe that I got from these guys.
Just a couple of steps from the Roku Jizo is another Jizo Bosatsu. This one is of the Nurebotoke which, according to this sign, has been around since the early 1700s.
The Nurebotoke is a lot larger than the individual Roku Jizo. Directly translated to mean ‘Wet Jizo’ the statue is said to have been made as divine protection for the Main Hall which had suffered through many fires prior.
There’s a restroom area just a couple of steps away from the Nurebotoke in case you need to freshen up or do your business. Also, no need to worry if you have a PWD with you as it’s one of the few I’ve seen that is PWD friendly.
I’m now in front of the Sanmon Gate or Main Gate of Zenkōji Temple. Built in the mid-1700s, this actually looks more like a building than a gate. Again, entry inside of this building is JPY600 (JPY1200 if you took the set admission ticket).
Off to the side, you’ll find a shop featuring items such as these Daruma. When I first saw these years ago, I initially thought that they were just toys. I didn’t realize that they actually served as lucky charms as well. Here the different colors represent different blessings such as white for certain victory or passing exams, red for family safety and protection from evil/misfortune, blue for business luck/prosperity, etc…
This is the shop selling the daruma in the picture earlier. I used Google Lens and it translated the sign on the shop to Zenkōji Daikanjin Shugusho. This is likely owned and managed by the Tendai sect of Buddhism that has its head temple (Daikanjin) nearby.
A sign warning visitors to not smoke in the vicinity of the Sanmon Gate. Understandable considering how the temple has a history of fires thanks to the use of wood for its temples and halls’ building materials.
As you’re facing the Sanmon Gate, turn to your right and you’ll find this chozuya. It’s kind of hard to miss just because of how grand it looks. I mean, just check out the intricate details on those beams.
Unlike with the Shinto temples that I’ve been to, the chozuya here doesn’t have a basin where you can ladle out the water. Instead, the water flows on its side and you use the ladle to catch it to then wash your hands and rinse your mouth.
It’s quite early in the morning when I took this picture so there aren’t that many people lining up here. And while it hasn’t snowed yet, it is still the winter season so the water here will be relatively cold.
Here’s an infographic of Zenkōji’s role as the final temple to visit for pilgrims who’ve managed to visit other temples/shrines in Japan’s Buddhist pilgrimage circuit. Also included in the infographic is a map showing the locations of the temples in Saigoku, Chichibu, and Bando (just to name a few).
Here’s a rack for hanging ema or ema-kake. These are quite common in both Buddhist and Shinto shrines with people writing their wishes on the back of the ema and then hanging them in these racks in the hopes that the gods/Buddha will grant them.
I found this map rather interesting so I decided to do a bit of research. So Zenkōji is actually quite unique because of its non-denominational nature. Moreover, it has an association that consists of member temples from other regions. This map specifically shows the temples in the Kanto (yellow), Hokuriko-Shinetsu (green), and Hokkaido-Tohuko (blue) regions.
This map is another listing of the Zenkōji Temple Association’s member temples with the focus now on the southern regions of Japan. The red region covers Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu while brown encompasses temples in Kinki. As for the green region, it covers Chubu. If we then combine this with the previous map, we’ll have Nagano (light green) at the center.
Here’s a sign for the Sanmon Main Gate with inscriptions indicating that it’s an Important Cultural Property. The Japanese text details how the gate has a hip-and-gable roof supported by rounded columns made from Japanese zelkova wood. It also says that the large sign on the gate with the inscription for Zenkōji was a calligraphy made by the former head priest of the Nikko Rinno-ji Temple, Prince Koen.
Here’s a sign directing visitors to the reception desk at the Main Hall as well as the services they can expect there. If I’m not mistaken, these services include prayers/wishes (through ema) as well as memorial services.
Here’s an ema-kake with some really cute ema. The area here is replete with this which just goes to show how people this is for the Japanese.
Aside from ema, the temple also sells omikuji as evidenced by this overflowing omikuji-kake. Again, this was in January so just after the New Years’ celebrations which are when people visit to get their fortunes and make their wishes for the upcoming year.
Just how many ema-kake and omikuji-kake are there? Walking through this area, these racks and the omikuji and ema that hang on them just don’t seem to end.
Oh nice, so there are still racks that haven’t been completely filled up! Kidding aside, I kind of wonder how many of these wishes/prayers (which I think number in the thousands) ever get answered.
I’m finally here at the Zenkōji Temple main hall. It’s not as impressive aesthetically as the Sanmon gate but it still looks huge. I think it might be as big as Naritasan Shinshoji’s Daihondo.
This Daikoro or large incense burner is probably one of the first things that will catch your attention as you get closer to the Main Hall. The belief is that the smoke from the incense burned here will help ward off sickness/ailments and give the worshipper good health.
This is where you can get the incense sticks. Just drop your JPY100 (or more if you want) in the saisen bako then get your incense and then burn them at the Daikoro.
If you’re still wondering how to do it, check out the picture instructions on this sign here. I understand that mostly Japanese follow this tradition but I think it would also be great if they provided at least an English translation of the instructions.
With the sun now up, I noticed that there were now more people in this area. The smoke in the Daikoro was also growing thicker as more people lit their incense on it.
If you wanted to learn more about Zenkōji Temple’s Main Hall then this sign here would be a great place to start. It talks about when the temple was founded and also mentions what is considered the main object of veneration of the Main Hall and the temple complex: the Ikko Sanzon Amida Nyorai.
The sign will be on a closed off garden to the right of you if you’re facing the Main Hall. I think this Main Hall area also has the highest concentration of stone lanterns.
I forgot to mention this earlier but taking photos inside the Main Hall and other main attractions here at Zenkōji Temple is not allowed. With that said, visitors are still allowed to take pictures of some parts of the Main Hall’s exteriors and grounds so that’s what I just did.
For a building that’s been around for 300 years, Zenkōji’s Main Hall sure looks like its age. Don’t get me wrong. The building still looks like it’s been well maintained. It’s just that it doesn’t look as polished (not sure if that’s the right term) than the other buildings I’ve come across in my travels here in Japan. That said, there is a certain charm to it and I’m sure people who love Edo-period architecture will have a lot to like here.
Speaking of the Edo period, I came across this stone lantern called the Takao Lantern that has been here since that time. According to the sign, this was dedicated to pray for the repose of Takao, a courtesan of Yoshiwara who was famous during the Edo period.
The Takao Lantern had me thinking of the other lanterns here and whether they have their own stories or not.
So as I was contemplating and walking around, I then came across this. It didn’t have an English translation so I looked it up. The sign talks about the Great Earthquake that devastated the Tohoku region in 2011 and how the Zenkōji Temple Association donated a set of statues to mourn the losses caused by the event. The statues consisted of two parent and two children figures. One of the parent figures is featured here in Zenkōji while the other parent and two children can be found at Fumonji temple in Rikuzentaka City (a city that was greatly affected by the Tohoku quake and tsunami).
Here’s the parent figure in its hokora which also has a saisen bako for those who’d like to offer their prayers.
After a bit of reflection, I went back to the front of the Main Hall and ended up seeing this sight. I decided to check it out since it definitely looked intriguing.
According to this wooden sign, this is the Temple Bell Tower (Shoro) and it’s even older than the current Main Hall! Much like the temple it also has an interesting history with it being rebuilt in 1853 and the tower structure itself being rare for having six pillars (said to represent the six characters of Namu Amida Butsu or Amitabha. The bell’s peal was selected as one of the “100 Soundscapes of Japan” in 1996 and in 1998, it was rang to usher in the start of that year’s Winter Olympic games.
Speaking of the Winter Olympic games, here’s an unassuming monument to commemorate the event.
At first I thought nothing of this but then I read the English text and was kind of touched. So I talked about how the bell was rang in 1998 to mark the start of the Winter Olympics. It turns out, the person who rang the bell was the then 69 year old caretaker of the Main Hall named Mr. Motoichi Godo. Apparently he was chosen to ring the bell as a way to honor his, at that time, 27 years of service as the Main Hall’s caretaker.
If you want to know how it sounds, the bell is rung every hour from 10AM to 4PM daily. Though I wanted to, I unfortunately didn’t have time to hear or record how it sounded as I was in a bit of hurry.
The text next to this emakuji-kake relates the legend of Zenkōji’s founding. According to this legend, a cow owned by an old woman ran away with the roll of cloth that she was drying. Chasing after her cow, the woman then found herself at Zenkōji temple. This experience affected her so profoundly that the woman then became a devout follower of Buddhism.
While it did have memorable views and architecture, I think what sets Zenkōji Temple apart are the stories I came across in my visit. While the temple is steeped in history, it’s the stories of people such as Takao and Mr Godo that truly resonated with me for some reason. How about you? What are your stories of Zenkōji Temple?
