Momijigari with Elizabeth Rose - Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka
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| The Momiji Path at Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka. |
One of our momijigari stops during the Kyoto leg of our autumn 2016 trip was Buddhist temple Sohonzan Komyoji in Nagaoka, west Kyoto.
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
Sohonzan Komyoji (総本山 光明寺) is the head temple of the Seizan Jodo sect of Buddhism. It was first built in 1198 by Kumagai no Jiro Naozane (熊谷 次郎 直実; 1141-1208), a close disciple of Honen (法然; 1133-1212) the founder of Jodo Buddhism.
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
Kumagai, who later took on the name Rensei (蓮生), was a samurai who had served the Minamoto (
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
As recounted in the Heike Monogatari:
When the Heike were routed at Ichi no tani, and their nobles and courtiers were fleeing to the shore to escape in their ships, Kumagai Naozane came riding along a narrow path on the beach, with the intention of intercepting one of their great captains. Just then his eye fell on a single horseman who was attempting to reach one of the ships in the offing ... Kumagai beckoned to him with his war fan, crying out: "Shameful! To show an enemy your back. Return! Return!"
The warrior turned his horse and rode back to the beach, where Kumagai at once engaged him in mortal combat. Quickly hurling him to the ground, he sprang upon him and tore off his helmet to cut off his head, when he beheld the face of a youth sixteen or seventeen, delicately powdered and with blackened teeth, just about the age of his own son and with features of great beauty. "Who are you?" he asked. "Tell me your name, for I would spare your life."
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
"I am Kumagai Naozane of Musashi, a person of no particular importance."
"Then you have made a good capture," said the youth. "Take my head and show it to some of my side, and they will tell you who I am."
"Though he is one of their leaders," mused Kumagai, "if I slay him it will not turn victory into defeat, and if I spare him, it will not turn defeat into victory. When my son Kojiru was but slightly wounded at Ichi no tani this morning, did it not pain me? How this young man's father would grieve to hear that he had been killed! I will spare him."
Just then, looking behind him, he saw Doi and Kajiwara coming up with fifty horsemen. "Alas! Look there," he exclaimed, the tears running down his face, "though I would spare your life, the whole countryside swarms with our men, and you cannot escape them. If you must die, let it be by my hand, and I will see that prayers are said for your rebirth in Paradise."
"Indeed it must be so," said the young warrior. "Cut off my head at once."
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
Kumagai was so overcome by compassion that he could scarcely wield his blade. His eyes swam and he hardly knew what he did, but there was no help for it; weeping bitterly he cut off the boy's head. "Alas!" he cried, "what life is so hard as that of a soldier? Only because I was born of a warrior family must I suffer this affliction! How lamentable it is to do such cruel deeds!" He pressed his face to the sleeve of his armor and wept bitterly. Then, wrapping up the head, he was stripping off the young man's armor when he discovered a flute in a brocade bag. "Ah," he exclaimed, "it was this youth and his friends who were amusing themselves with music within the walls this morning. Among all our men of the Eastern Provinces I doubt if there is any who has brought a flute with him. How gentle the ways of these courtiers!"
When he brought the flute to the Commander, all who saw it were moved to tears; he discovered then that the youth was Atsumori, the youngest son of Tsunemori, aged sixteen years. From this time the mind of Kumagai was turned to the religious life.
(Source: Excerpts from The Tale of Heike on Asia for Educators, an initiative of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University.)
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
And so elsewhere the story continued...
Guilt-ridden over Atsumori's demise, as well as those whom he had killed, Kumagai also became discontented with the Minamoto clan under Minamoto no Yoritomo (源 頼朝; 1147-1199), the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate.
Thus, Kumagai visited Honen who instructed him to chant the Nembutsu, telling him that he would be saved regardless of his sins. Kumagai became a close disciple of Honen and of Jodo Buddhism.
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
As for more current times, however, the romantic but sad tale of Atsumori's death and the violent times of the Genpei War seem rather far removed at the peaceful grounds of Komyoji.
Komyoji is a popular autumn-viewing spot due to the many maples planted on its grounds, especially the Momiji Path.
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| Autumn foliage at Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
The grounds of Komyoji are quite large, with a lot of buildings and halls. I didn't manage to visit all of them, and didn't keep track of the ones I saw either. I can only remember the Chokushi-mon (above), because of its distinctive roof. I loved the way the autumn foliage contrasted with the purple crested curtain.
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
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| Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
We spent the most time at the Momiji Path, a maple tree-lined path between the Yakui-mon and the Enma-do.
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| Yakui-mon, along the Momiji Path, Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
I tried getting pictures of the Momiji Path without people in it, but it was just not possible, and as noon-time approached, more and more people began to arrive.
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| Yakui-mon, along the Momiji Path, Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
Although not all the trees had turned yet, it was still very beautiful.
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| The Momiji Path at Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
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| The Momiji Path at Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
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| The Momiji Path, Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
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| The Momiji Path, Sohonzan Komyoji, Nagaoka |
Definitely worth going off the beaten track! Perhaps next visit, I'll actually go check out the other sites I missed here...
(This post was edited on 23 August 2017.)
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More on Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn, November 2016
- I. Yokohama & the Miho Museum - Chinatown
(Heichinrou, Yokohama Mazu Temple) ● Yamashita Park ● Zou-no-Hana ●
Osanbashi Pier ● Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses ● Miho Museum
- II. Kyoto - Tofukuji ● Kiyomizudera ● Sohonzan Komyoji ● Eikando Zenrinji ● Manshuin Monzeki ● Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki ● Nanzenji, Nanzenin & Tenjuan ● Kitano Tenmangu ● Shugakuin Imperial Villa ● Sento Imperial Palace ● Kyoto Imperial Palace
- III. Tokyo - Tokyo University ● Rikugien ● Tokyo Imperial Palace & the East Gardens ● Kotonoha no Niwa trip to at Shinjuku Gyoen ● Italian at Salvatore Cuomo Bros., XEX Tokyo ● Sushi Masuda ● Nishiazabu Taku (aka Sushi Taku) ● Sushi Nakamura (1st taste of Juyondai) ● Sushi Tokami (1st taste of tossaki) ● molecular gastronomy at Tapas Molecular Bar ● French-Japanese at La Paix, Nihonbashi
- IV: Fuji Five Lakes - Part 1 (Bessho Sasa, revisited) ● Part 2 (Fuji Subaru 5th Station, Motosuko & Koyodai) ● Part 3 (Fujisansaku Park, Motosuko, Shojiko, Saiko, Kawaguchiko)
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