My family and I went on a two day and one night trip to the Kunisaki Peninsula.
The first day was spent at Madama Onsen, and while researching where to go on the second day, I found some good information.
A big event was being held at Monjusenji Temple, which I had visited only once when I was young.
The event was the “Gokaicho of Monju Bosatsu, the hidden Buddha of the Year of the Rabbit, once every 12 years at Monjusenji Temple.
There are two Gokaicho periods in spring and fall, and the spring period is until 3:00 p.m. on May 25 (Thu.).
It is said that this is a great opportunity to see Monju Bosatsu up close, which is usually not possible.
- When I set the parking lot of Monjusenji in the navigation system from Madama Onsen… there was a roadblock and I had to make a detour.
- Arrive at Monjusenji parking lot
- Going up Omotesando
- Gobo-cha (burdock tea) reception and sales of wild vegetable rice and rice in the mountain gate area
- Proceeding beyond the gate, we finally headed for the inner sanctuary where the hidden Buddha is enshrined.
- Receive explanation and see the hidden Buddha
- There was much to see inside the temple.
- Conclusion
- Information (map, website, etc.) about Wenshu Senji Temple
When I set the parking lot of Monjusenji in the navigation system from Madama Onsen… there was a roadblock and I had to make a detour.
From Madama Onsen, I set the destination in GoogleMap as “Monjusenji Parking Lot”.
Entering Kunisakichou Joubutsu via Prefectural Route 652, there was a fork that split off in two directions.
The branch was in the direction of Monjusenji Temple to the north, and in the direction of Naributsuji Temple to the east.
However, when we came to the fork, there was a “Road Closed” sign, so we had no choice but to take the detour route to the east.
We continued east on Route 652, passed Seibutsuji Temple, and then took Kaiun Road, which intersects on the north side, to the Monjusenji Temple parking lot on the west.
The road closed to traffic is in a mountainous area, so the detour may have been just the right way to head there at a leisurely pace.
Arrive at Monjusenji parking lot
When I arrived at about 11:00, the parking lot was pretty full.
The parking lot was large and clean.
There were also restrooms.
Going up Omotesando
We went up the stairs from the front entrance of Monjusenji Temple.
Stairs were on the left side of the street.
Futakoji Temple, located in the center of the Kunisaki Peninsula, also had such a sign.
There were many sights to see along the main approach, including a stone Buddha, the famous Niou statue, and a huge stone.
As I climbed the stairs, I saw the gate and a building on the right.
Please have some tea! I am so glad you came all the way up here in the mountains,” I heard a voice say.
Gobo-cha (burdock tea) reception and sales of wild vegetable rice and rice in the mountain gate area
Free burdock tea was being given away in the area to the right of the gate.
Special rice and wild rice were sold as a set.
My children said, “I want to eat it! so I bought some on the way home.
And the rice with wild vegetables was very tasty..!
Proceeding beyond the gate, we finally headed for the inner sanctuary where the hidden Buddha is enshrined.
The inner sanctuary is called “kake-zukuri,” or “suspended structure,” and is built into a rock cave.
It seems to have been repeatedly restored, and new wood could be seen in some places.
After paying the entrance fee and receiving a pamphlet and an omamori (talisman), we proceeded to the entrance of the inner sanctuary.
We took off our shoes, entered the building, and stood in line.
(Photography is not allowed from there on.)
Receive explanation and see the hidden Buddha
First, we received an explanation of the hidden Buddha from a monk.
He told us that the hidden Buddha is a foreign object.
Monju Bosatsu is not only a scholar, but also a giver of great wisdom in life.”
Not just for academics, I didn’t know that.
After the explanation, each group met Monju Bosatsu in turn.
The Buddha statues were wonderful, and the inner sanctuary was also wonderful, The inner sanctuary was also very nice.
It gave me the same impression as the inner sanctum of Futagoji Temple.
It is said that the rock cave was originally closely connected to “womb worship.
There was much to see inside the temple.
It was the first time in a really long time that I had visited Monjusenji.
Thanks to this event, I was able to visit again.
I was able to visit Rokusho Shrine, which I did not recognize when I first came, and I was also able to see the large stone pagoda.
Conclusion
I remember the first time I visited Monjusenji Temple about 18 years ago, when I looked at a paper map of the Kunisaki Peninsula without a navigation system like we have today.
At that time, the stone steps along the approach to the temple had been washed away by a typhoon or some other heavy rain damage.
I wondered if the Omotesando approach we took this time was the same path we took that time.
In order to verify this, I wanted to take the back approach next time.
It seems that there will be another open-air exhibition of hidden Buddha statues in the fall.
We would be able to see a different view again.
Information (map, website, etc.) about Wenshu Senji Temple
2432 Kunisakimachi Daionji, Kunisaki, Oita 873-0646
