is a

Rinzai Zen The Rinzai school (, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng), named after Linji Yixuan (Romaji: Rinzai Gigen, died 866 CE) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism, along with Sōtō and Ōbaku. The Chinese Linji school of Cha ...

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

temple in

Higashimurayama, Tokyo is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,275, and a population density of 8700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Higashimurayama is located ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Its early 15th century Jizō hall is a registered

National Treasure of Japan Some of the National Treasures of Japan A is " Tangible Cultural Properties designated by law in modern Japan as having extremely high value." Specifically, it refers to buildings, arts, and crafts designated as especially valuable from ...

. It is considered to be the oldest intact building in

Tokyo Prefecture Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital and most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is one of the most populous urban areas in the world. The Greater Tokyo Area, which ...

and a unique example of

Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...

architecture.

History

Shōfuku-ji was founded in 1270, during the

. The temple records state that a Jizō hall was built in 1278 under the sponsorship of Kamakura Regent

Hōjō Tokiyori was the fifth shikken (regent of shogun) of the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. Early life He was born to warrior monk Hōjō Tokiuji and a daughter of Adachi Kagemori, younger brother of Hōjō Tsunetoki, the fourth shikken, and grandson of ...

. Tradition holds that the Regent fell ill while on hunting expedition and was nursed back to health back by a resident priest. In gratitude, Tokiyori commissioned builders from

Kamakura , officially , is a city of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. It is located in the Kanto region on the island of Honshu. The city has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 people per km2 over the tota ...

to build the Jizō hall. There is some question as to the accuracy of this story given that Tokiyori died in 1263. Nonetheless, official patronage from the

Kamakura shogunate The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459. The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Yori ...

was key in the temple construction. It is worth noting that the temple may have been founded and constructed during the ministry of Tokiyori's son,

Hōjō Tokimune of the Hōjō clan was the eighth ''shikken'' (officially regent of the shōgun, but ''de facto'' ruler of Japan) of the Kamakura shogunate (reigned 1268–84), known for leading the Japanese people, Japanese forces against the Mongol invasions ...

under whose authority Japan successfully defended itself against

Mongol Invasions The Mongol invasions and conquests took place during the 13th and 14th centuries, creating history's largest contiguous empire, the Mongol Empire (1206–1368), which by 1260 covered large parts of Eurasia. Historians regard the Mongol devastati ...

. The current Jizo hall was rebuilt in 1407, according to an inscription in

India ink India ink (British English: Indian ink; also Chinese ink) is a simple black or coloured ink once widely used for writing and printing and now more commonly used for drawing and outlining, especially when inking comic books and comic strips. In ...

discovered in 1933, when the Jizo hall was repaired. The writing also stated that this temple has been dedicated to Jizo Bodhisattva since this was founded. This temple remains largely in its original configuration since the time it was founded.

Architecture

The Shōfuku-ji Jizō hall employed new building techniques perfected by the Japanese master builders during the Kamakura era that permitted more strength, elasticity, and detail compared to Chinese, Korean, or earlier Japanese techniques. From the outside it appears as a two-story structure with sharply upturned eaves on the roofs. Internally, it is a single open space. This effect results from the lower roof ''

mokoshi In Japanese architecture , literally "skirt storey" or "cuff storey", is a decorative pent roof surrounding a building below the true roof. Since it does not correspond to any internal division, the ''mokoshi'' gives the impression of there bein ...

''. This is called

Zenshūyō is a Japanese Buddhist architecture, Japanese Buddhist architectural style derived from Chinese Song Dynasty architecture. Named after the Zen, Zen sect of Buddhism in Japan, Buddhism which brought it to Japan, it emerged in the late 12th or ea ...

. This style can be seen at Shariden of

Enkaku-ji , or Engaku-ji (円覚寺), is one of the most important Zen Buddhism, Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountain System, Five Mountains. It is situated in the List of cities in Japan, city of Kamak ...

in Kamakura. For example, the curve of the upper roof is similar. However, there are some differences. For example, the ''mokoshi'' of the Shōfuku-ji Jizo hall is covered with copper for good conservation. The door opens towards the inside. It contains significant architectural innovations, including the use of elastic

Japanese cypress ''Chamaecyparis obtusa'' (Japanese cypress, hinoki cypress or hinoki; or , ) is a species of cypress native to central Japan in East Asia, and widely cultivated in the temperate northern hemisphere for its high-quality timber and ornamental qua ...

, steel support chisels, decorative but functional brackets, and cantilevers. These innovations permitted a structure that appears lightweight with its curved hip roof, open interior, and floating, upturned eaves while being structurally sound against earthquakes. The material of roofs has been thatched. However, in 1933, when the hall was repaired, the roof was changed from thatched to shingled to restore it closer to the original construction configuration. This is made by piling thin boards and fixing using bamboo nails. This “Kokerabuki” is also seen in

Katsura Imperial Villa The is an Imperial residence with associated gardens and outbuildings in the western suburbs of Kyoto, Japan. Located on the western bank of the Katsura River in Katsura, Nishikyō-ku, the Villa is 8km distant from the main Kyoto Imperial P ...

and

Kinkaku-ji , officially named , is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan and a tourist attraction. It is designated as a World Heritage Site, a National Special Historic Site, a National Special Landscape, and one of the 17 Historic Monuments of Ancient K ...

. The building was designated a

National Treasure A national treasure is a structure, artifact, object or cultural work that is officially or popularly recognized as having particular value to the nation, or representing the ideals of the nation. The term has also been applied to individuals or ...

on March 29, 1952. Laymen are permitted to enter the building only once a year, during the festival for Jizo, or “Jizo-matsuri” held on November 3.

Significance

Despite major reconstruction in 1407, Shōfuku-ji's Jizō hall is held to be one of the most representative and intact examples of Kamakura architecture. Though 50 kilometers from Kamakura, this area marked the northern extent of what was considered the outer sphere of the

defenses. However, this remoteness likely contributed to its preservation since it did not see the destruction that most of the buildings of Kamakura itself experienced.

Traditions

Consistent with it being a place of healing, Shōfuku-ji has a tradition that is believed by many locals to help cure illness. Outside the hall are a number of wooden dolls that, when a family member or friend is sick, are to be taken to the ill person's home. Upon recovery, the original doll plus a new one are returned to the temple.Signposts at Shōfuku-ji

Jizō Hall gallery

file:Shofukuji-Exterior-North-DoorOpen.jpg, Exterior North file:Shofukuji-Exterior-South-Open.jpg, Exterior South file:Shofukuji-Exterior-West-DoorOpen.jpg, Exterior West file:Shofukuji-Interior-CentralCeiling.jpg, Interior East Ceiling file:Shofukuji-Interior-EastCeiling.jpg, Interior East file:Shofukuji-Interior-EastLowerLevel.jpg, Interior East Lower level file:Shofukuji-Interior-KannonStatue.jpg, Interior Kṣitigarbha Statue file:Shofukuji-Interior-NorthLowerLevel.jpg, Interior North Lower Level file:Shofukuji-Interior-PriestBeforeKannon.jpg, Interior Priest file:Shofukuji-Interior-WestCeiling.jpg, Interior West Ceiling file:Shofukuji-Exterior-EaveDetail.JPG, Exterior Eave detail File:Shofukiji-Higashimurayama-jizohall-Sakura-graveyard.jpg, Sakura cherry blossoms above graveyard with the Jizo Hall behind

References

* Papinot, E. (1910). "Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. 1972 Printing. Charles E. Tuttle Company, Tokyo, . * Coaldrake, William H. (1996) "Architecture and Authority in Japan (Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies Series)", Routledge, * Signposts (in Japanese) at Shofuku-ji. * Sansom, George (1963). "A history of Japan 1334–1615." Eight Printing (1993). Charles E. Tuttle Company, Tokyo, * Suzuki Kakichi. "国宝大辞典　全五巻　五　建造物".1985 Printing. Kodansha Company,Tokyo, (0). * Tani Masayuki. "日本美術図解事典". 2004 Printing. Tokyo Bijutsu Company,Tokyo, . * http://www.city.higashimurayama.tokyo.jp/tanoshimi/photo/shiki/7_9.html#cms75502　viewed:2013/6/13

Notes

External links

Tokyo Tourism information on Shofukuji
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shofuku-ji (Higashimurayama) National Treasures of Japan Buddhist temples in Tokyo Higashimurayama, Tokyo