15 Sep 2013

Hoonji Temple

Home of 500 Buddhist Disciples

Oleh Chris Barnes

Community writer

The Buddhist statues line the left and right side walls, each statue represented by a different face and gesture

The Rakando which features the 500 Buddhist Disciples Statues are now Cultural Assets of Morioka City

The Sanmon main gate was built in 1978 to replace the old Chumon gate which is said to be one of the gates which were standing in Morioka Castle

The Rakando Hall was built in 1753. The central statue, Rushana-butsu, represents the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha. Child statues on each side represent those seeking Buddhism

The main hall was destroyed by fire in 1960 and rebuilt in 1964. A Shakyamuni Buddha statue can be found inside the main hall.

The Zazendo Zen Hall is located behind the main hall and seats 54 people for Zen meditation

Hoonji Temple features tranquil gardens with many statues, unfortunately most of these are in Japanese only

The lack of crowds make visiting Hoonji Temple a treat. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can really feel a sense of relaxation as you wander the grounds

The area of the temple is 7,000 Tsubo (250,000 sq. ft.) and features 30 branch temples

Hoonji Temple is nestled in amongst some of Morioka's most beautiful temples along Teramachidori Ave, one of Japan's 100 Best Roadscapes. The temple is largely known as the home of 500 Buddhist Disciples statues, which were hand crafted between 1731 and 1735 by nine artesians from Kyoto. Hoonji Temple was built in 1394 by the 13th Lord of the Nanbu Family, Moriyuki, and moved to its present location by the 27th Lord, Tashinao in 1601. Hoonji Temple has been known as a Zen training temple for monks, a family temple for 1,000 families and is also a place of Zen meditation for the public. The 500 Buddhist statues, located in the Rakando Hall, are nothing short of spectacular and really is a sight that needs to be seen to be believed. Today, only 499 statues remain, most of which are visible to the public seven days per week from 09:00 ~ 16:00. Admission for adults is 300 yen, and children 100 yen.