Senso-ji Temple - Senso-ji

Located in Asakusa, Taito Ward, Tokyo, this temple is the head temple of the Shokannon sect. It is called Kinryuzan Denpoin. The principal image is the Shokannon Bodhisattva, and is also known as Asakusa Kannon. It is the 13th temple of the Bando Sanjusansho pilgrimage. It belonged to the Tendai sect until it became independent in 1950 (Showa 25). According to the legend, in 628 (the 36th year of the reign of Empress Suiko), the brothers Hinokuma Hamanari and Takenari were fishing in the Miyato River (Sumida River) when a golden Shokannon statue measuring 1.8 inches (1.8 cm) was placed on the spot, and when they prayed to the Kannon, many fish were caught. The temple is said to have begun when Hajinoatainakatomo established his house as a temple. In 645 (Taika 1), Shokai, who was traveling around the country, built the temple buildings and became the temple's founder. He received a message in a dream that the principal image of the temple was kept secret, and since then, it has been strictly forbidden to be displayed to the public. Ennin of the Tendai sect carved a wooden block of a Kannon statue and a Gomaedachi principal image (principal image for public display) to replace the principal image in 857 (Ten'an 1), and is therefore considered the temple's second founder. The temple buildings were burned down during the Taira no Masakado Rebellion, but when Awa no Kami Taira no Kimimasa's prayers were answered and he became the governor of Musashi Province, he built other buildings and donated several hundred cho of land to the temple. Later, the temple suffered repeated fires, but was rebuilt thanks to the reverence of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Yoritomo, Ashikaga Takauji, and Hojo Ujiyasu. When the Tokugawa Shogunate was established in Edo, it became a place of prayer for the Shogunate, was given 500 koku of temple land, and became one of the largest temples in Edo. It also attracted the faith of the common people and became a place of leisure, and in the Meiji period, most of the temple grounds became Asakusa Park. In 1945 (Showa 20), all but Nitenmon Gate (built in 1618, a national important cultural property) and Denpoin Temple were burned down due to war damage, but efforts were made to restore it after the war, and it was rebuilt in 1958, followed by Kaminarimon Gate in 1960, Hozomon Gate in 1964, and the five-story pagoda in 1973. The five-story pagoda houses the Buddha's relics brought from Sri Lanka. There are many treasures, including the 10 volumes of the Lotus Sutra (also known as Kaiketsu), which was copied in the Heian period by Ono no Tofu and is a national treasure, and the original edition of the complete Buddhist scriptures (Issaikyo), originally owned by Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine in Kamakura, is a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan. Denpoin is the main temple of Senso-ji Temple, built in 1777 (An'ei 6), and has a stroll-style garden with a pond that is said to have been designed by Kobori Enshu. Nakamise, with 86 shops lined up between Kaminarimon and Hozomon, forms a temple town together with Shin-Nakamise. It is believed that if you visit on July 9th or 10th, you will receive the merit of visiting the temple for 46,000 days, and on those days, a ground cherries market is held and the place becomes very lively. There are many events held, such as the Needle Memorial Service on February 8th, the Honzon Jigen-e on March 18th, and the Shusho-e from December 31st to January 6th. Asakusa Shrine, which enshrines the three people involved in the shrine's founding, Nakachi, Hamanari, and Takenari, is known as Sanja Gongen, and the Sanja Festival, which is held for three days until the third Sunday in May, is famous as one of the three major festivals of Edo.

[Tamura Kosuke]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東京都台東(たいとう)区浅草(あさくさ)にある聖観音宗(しょうかんのんしゅう)の総本山。金龍山(きんりゅうざん)伝法院と号する。本尊は聖観音菩薩(ぼさつ)で、浅草観音(あさくさかんのん)の名で有名。坂東三十三所(ばんどうさんじゅうさんしょ)の第13番札所。1950年（昭和25）に独立するまでは天台宗に属した。縁起によると、628年（推古天皇36）檜前浜成(ひのくまはまなり)・竹成(たけなり)兄弟が、宮戸川（隅田川）で漁をしていると1寸8分（約5.5センチメートル）の黄金の聖観音像がかかり、その観音に祈ると多くの魚がかかった。土師直中知(はじのあたいなかとも)が自宅を寺として安置したのが本寺の始まりという。645年（大化1）諸国巡遊の勝海が堂宇を建立し、開山となった。夢告により本尊は秘仏とされ、以後、開帳は厳禁されている。天台宗の円仁は、857年（天安1）本尊にかわる御前立(おまえだち)本尊（開帳本尊）と板木の観音像を刻したので、中興開山といわれる。平将門(たいらのまさかど)の乱で堂宇を焼失したが、安房守(あわのかみ)平公雅(たいらのきみまさ)が祈願成就して武蔵(むさし)国守になったことにより、諸堂宇を建て寺領数百町を寄せたという。のち、たびたび火災を受けたが、源義朝(みなもとのよしとも)・頼朝(よりとも)、足利尊氏(あしかがたかうじ)、北条氏康(ほうじょううじやす)らの尊崇を受け再建された。江戸に徳川幕府が開かれると、幕府の祈願所となり、寺領500石を受け、江戸有数の大寺となった。また庶民の信仰を集め、行楽の地となり、明治期には境内の大部分は浅草公園となった。1945年（昭和20）戦災により二天門（1618建立、国重要文化財）と伝法院以外を焼失したが、戦後復興に努力し、1958年に再建、続いて1960年に雷門(かみなりもん)、1964年に宝蔵門、1973年に五重塔も再建された。五重塔にはスリランカより将来された仏舎利(ぶっしゃり)を納めている。宝物は多く、平安時代に書写された伝小野道風(おののとうふう)筆『法華経(ほけきょう)』10巻（開結とも）は国宝、もと鎌倉・鶴岡八幡宮(つるがおかはちまんぐう)所蔵の元版一切経(いっさいきょう)は国の重要文化財に指定されている。伝法院は浅草寺の本坊で、1777年（安永6）に建立、伝小堀遠州作の池泉回遊式庭園がある。雷門から宝蔵門に至る間は仲見世(なかみせ)で、86軒の店が並び、新仲見世とともに門前町をなしている。7月9、10日に参詣(さんけい)すると四万六千日(しまんろくせんにち)参詣の功徳があると信ぜられ、当日はほおずき市(いち)が立ち、にぎわう。2月8日の針供養会、3月18日の本尊示現会、12月31日～1月6日の修正会(しゅしょうえ)など多くの行事がある。創建にかかわる中知・浜成・竹成の3人を祀(まつ)る浅草神社(あさくさじんじゃ)は三社権現(さんじゃごんげん)といわれ、5月の第3日曜までの3日間に行われる三社祭は江戸三大祭の一つで名高い。

［田村晃祐］

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