Kirishitan Kyoto

KIRISHITAN KYOTO

John Dougill writes…

In the heart of Kyoto there once stood a Southern Barbarian Temple (Nanban-ji). It was located not far from Rokkaku-do, the city’s belly button. The three-storey structure was built in 1576 and was an exotic addition to a city in the midst of revitalisation. For a while it was the height of fashion for the city’s leading figures to go visit the ‘temple’.

The First Southern Barbarian Temple

How did it come about? The story begins in early 1551 with the first ever European to set foot in Kyoto the intrepid missionary Francis Xavier. To his dismay he found the city in ruins following a long period of civil strife and left after just ten days. But the Jesuits were determined to make a base in the capital, and eight years later came Father Vilela. Through dogged perseverance he built up a following.

The Shunko-in bell

In 1576, with the support of volunteers, the Jesuits were able to turn their humble altar into a proper church. Portuguese fashion was all the rage at the time, and some of the aristocracy had taken to wearing pantaloons and crosses. As a result the new church created a buzz of excitement and among the visitors was the country’s unifier,Nobunaga. Two of his sons took an interest in the religion, and one was later baptised.

It all came to a sorry end in 1587. In an angry outburst against the Jesuits’ military tiesHideyoshi issued an anti-Christian edict, and in the aftermath the church was demolished. Amazingly the Portuguese-made bell was somehow preserved and can still be seen atShunko-in, a subtemple of the Zen monastery of Myoshin-ji. It bears the date 1577 and has an inscription in Latin.

Second Nanban-ji (artist's impression)

Not long afterwards a second Nanban-dera arose in the city, following the arrival of the Franciscans in 1593. The newcomers had come from Manila and established a small monastery with hospitals and a church. Though the official name was Los Angeles, locals nicknamed it after the first church.

It lasted just four years, until Hideyoshi turned against the Franciscans as a fifth column for Spanish colonialism. A small museum now stands on the site.

A third Kyoto church was established on Motoseiganji from 1604-12, when the Tokugawaregime clamped down on the foreign faith.

元和クリシタン殉教の地 ~ “This is the spot of a Genna era Christian matyrdom”

It heralded an age of persecution, marked in Kyoto by the Great Martyrdom of 1619 when 52 people were burnt on the banks of the Kamogawa. Amongst the victims was Hashimoto Tecla, the only known pregnant martyr in Catholic history, who was burnt along with five of her six children. By 1639, with the age of isolation, Kyoto’s flirtation with Christianity was over. Not until 1873 was the religion allowed again.

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Click for a better image.

(The first and third Kirishitan churches are marked by noticeboards. The site of the second church is now theFuransisuko no Ie, which displays items related to Kyoto’s Kirishitan past. It is just to the west of Shijo Omiya, at Satakechou 388, Iwagamidori sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8391. Tel: 075-822-2397.)

John Dougill is the author of Kyoto: A Cultural History and is currently researching Japan’s Hidden Christians for a forthcoming book.

Last Event of Gion Festival

The Ekijinjasai or The Festival for the Shrine of the Plague God takes place on July 31st at Yasaka Shrine. This small shrine can be found directly after one enters the west gate, the main gate of Yasaka Shrine. This festival is dedicated to the worship of Somin Shorai. One story has it that Gozu Tenno was looking for a place to stay one night and came to a house. At the first house of Kotan Shorai he was rejected. At the second house Gozu Tenno, the ox-headed god, was warmly received by Kotan's poorer younger brother, Somin Shorai. For this hospitality, Gozu Tenno gave Shomin Shorai a special grass to ward off disease, this was chigaya grass. Somin Shorai wore the grass around his waist and survived a terrible plague. The plague was most probably small pox which during the 7th to the 11th century wreaked havoc on the Japanese population. In the worst years killing up to 20% of the population. The same chigaya grass can be seen in the large wreath above. It is also what is inside the chimaki charms that are sold at Gion Festival. That is why many chimaki charms say, "We are descendants of Somin Shorai." Chigaya grass is called Cogon grass in English.

One small note about Gozu Tenno. He is the god of Gion Festival and is the god who is carried in the mikoshi, the portable shrines, on the 17th and the 24th. This god is originally from India but has undergone many changes on his journey through Tibet and China. Sometimes Gozu Tenno is associated with Susanoo. Susanoo may have been added later as a major Shinto god or as the shinto side of Gozu Tenno who is originally a Buddhist god. Why is there a Buddhist god at Yasaka Shrine? Before the Meiji Period, pre 1868, Yasaka Shrine was a Buddhist/ Shinto complex as almost all major shrines were. But that is a story for another post. The final festival of Gion Matsuri is one filled with history and legend. At 10:00 am, you can join this festival that honors Somin Shorai. The priest will offer some gifts and prayers, and then all attendees will walk through the wreathe to protect themselves from disease.

The question for this post, is where can I get more detailed information about the process of Susanoo being added as the Shinto aspect of Gozu Tenno. Has anyone written about this in detail?

Four Gods Protecting Kyoto

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Looking from above these four gods should protect the city:


Behind --The Black Turtle (genbu 玄武) (north)

In front--The Vermillion Bird (suzaku 朱雀) (south)

On the left--The Azure Dragon (seiryū青龍) (east)

On the right-- The White Tiger (byakko白虎) (west)

On December 15, 2009 Gordon and I attended a lecture given by Ellen van Goethem. She is the author of Nagaoka: Japan’s Forgotten Capital (Brill, 2008). Her topic was: Questioning the Landscape: In Search of the Four Gods Protecting Japan’s Chinese-style Capitals.

Here is a brief summary of the main points of the lecture. Geophysical divination was used to find a site where the four guardian gods are in balance (四神相応 shijin sōō). The term shijin sōō has been used by sholars to explain how the ancient capitals were chosen. But this term can be found first in the Sakuteiki(作庭記-Notes on the Making of Gardens) attributed to Tachibana no Toshitsuna (1028–94). According to this 11th century text an auspicious site should have a mountain to the north, a river to the east, a road to the west, and a plain to the south. However this text dates 200 years after the founding of Heian Kyo.

In contrast , the traditional system from China held that the four guardian gods were blessed and the site was auspicious when it had three mountains protecting the city from the north, east and west and the southern section had a plain with water, providing an opening for sunshine and light. The later, modified system had four different topographical features which befit the gods: a moutain, a road, a river,and plain with water.

It has long been held that this new system of providing topographical features for the gods was particular to Japan. Professor van Goethem explained that there were continental texts which offered this modified version of picking auspicious sites. Specifically she sites the Dili xinshu 地理新書 (New Book on Feng Shui) written between 1036 and 1070. This text appeared a few decades before the Tachibana text. Secondly, it was believed that this system helped in picking the Chinese-style capitals. Professor van Goethem argued that this modified system was not used as a system for choosing Chinese-style capitals in Japan but rather the ideas in the Sakuteiki were offered as guidance in how to make a house or a villa within the capital an auspicious site.

Some key points to the lecture were vocabulary. How to define this process of finding an auspicious site. Feng shui is not suitable as it's a very modern concept. Topomancy was suggested as an appropriate term. Topomancy is a mix of Confucianism, Taoist ideas including the 5 elements, position of the moon, the 60 year cycle, and Omyodo- the balance of yin and yang.

In Japan, the earliest recorded use of site-divination was in 513. It was done by a certain Wajchi who was offered by the Paekche court. In 575 site divination was done using bamboo sticks(sochi). In 676 a divination bureau was formed. In contrast to the Chinese court it conflated both the divination and astrology agencies.

The connection between the gods and the four directions can be found in the Zhang shu 葬書 (Book of Burial) attributed to Guo Pu 郭璞 (276–324 CE) This text was translated by Stephen L. Field and can be found here: http://www.fengshuigate.com/zangshu.html

It explained that one should be buried with a cerulean dragon to the left, a white tiger to the right, a vermillion bird in front and a dark turtle behind. An example is the Kitora Tumulus. This site has good photos and an excellent explanation of the astrology from Kitora Tumulus: http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/kitora.htm

To summarize, the Sakutei presented a modified version balancing the four protecting guards with specific features in the landscape. The traditional version sought only natural aspects of the terrain. The four guardian gods were in balance when there were three mountains in a horseshoe shape with a plain with water to the south and an additional mountain to the distant south.

With this in mind we can look at the ancient capitals.

1. Fujiwara kyo

It seems to have been selected using the traditional model, i.e. 4 mountains.

This poem from the Manyoshu shows this clearly.
The green hill of Kagu of Yamato
Stands at the eastern gate,
A luxuriant springtime hill;
Unebi, with its fragrant slopes,
Rises at the western gate,
Ever fresh and flourishing;
Miminashi, the green sedgy mound,
Rears at the northern gate
Its form divine;
And the mountains of Yoshinu, of lovely name,
Soar into the sky,
Far from the southern gate. (Higuchi 1983)

2. Nara. Also seems to have used the 3-mountain and open south plan.

3. Nagaoka.

North. Mt Sawa
West Mt. Nishiyama
East Mt. Fukakusa
South Mt. Katano and Lake Ogura

4. Heian-kyo
North Mt. Tanba
West Mt. Hira
East Mt. Arashiyama
South Ogura Pond/Lake

What is interesting is that the modified version is more commonly known. It has:
North Mt Funaoka
West San-indo or San-yodo road
East Kamo River
South Ogura Pond/Lake

Olympics and History

Skating for Japan in the the Vancouver 2010 Olympics is Oda Nobunari the 17th direct descendant of Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga helped to unify Japan in the late 16th century. In 1582 one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, betrayed him and attacked the temple, Honnō-ji, where Nobunga was staying. Nobunaga committed suicide at Honnō-ji during that attack.

Recently, young Nobunari came to Kyoto to pray at Honnō-ji for success in the Winter Olympics. The priests at the temple also prayed for his success. One wonders if he ventured north to Kenkun Jinja on Funaoka Yama or to Amida-ji on Termachi a bit NE of Shokoku-ji. It is said that Nobunaga's ashes are kept at Amidaji and his soul is enshrined at Kenkun Jinja. .

The 22 Highest Ranking Shrines in the Heian Period

The topic is the twenty two shrines sponsored by the imperial government in the Heian Period. How and when did such a list originate? It seems that sometime in the early 10th century there were complaints about the size of offerings given to the shrines and the lack of dignity that was afforded those gifts. Some of the priests were selling or consuming the offerings before they arrived back to their shrine. (Bowring, Richard. Religious Traditions of Japan. Cambridge p.189)

This may have led to a drastic reduction in the number of shrines which were called to give official prayers to stop the rain in 966. Only 16 shrines were requested for this special event. (Compare that number with the 2,861 shrines recognized and supported in Yoro Code in 718 which was then reduced to 573 official state shrines in 798)

According to Namiki Kazuko in the Encylopedia of Shinto, "In the mid Heian, 16 shrines (Ise, Iwashimuzu, Kamo, Matsuno-o, Hirano, Inari, Kasuga, Ōharano, Ōmiwa, Isonokami, Ōyamato, Sumiyoshi, Hirose, Tatsuta, Niukawakami, Kibune) were first included in this system. This was followed by the inclusion of Hirota shrine and then, somewhere during the latter half of the 11th or early part of the 12th century (during the reign of the Ichijō court), Yoshida, Umenomiya, Kitano, and Gion shrines were subsequently added (in that order). It appears that during the Insei period Hie shrine was further included in this grouping. Under the Taira reign in the mid-Heian, a plan to include Utsukushima Shrine was created, but it was never realized, leaving the final number of shrines in the system at 22."

Here are the names and locations of the 22 shrines:


Upper seven ------- name/ current name/ location
1. (神宮) Jingū (also Ise Jingū 伊勢神宮), Ise, Mie


2. Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū (石清水八幡宮) Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū Yawata, Kyoto Prefecture


3. Kamo Jinja (賀茂神社)
a) Kamo-wakeikazuchi Jinja (賀茂別雷神社), a/k/a Kamigamo Jinja (上賀茂神社) Kita-ku, Kyoto
b)Kamo-mioya Jinja (賀茂御祖神社), a/k/a Shimogamo Jinja (下鴨神社), Sakyo-ku, Kyoto


4. Matsunoo Jinja (松尾神社), Matsunoo Taisha, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto


5. Hirano Jinja (平野神社), Hirano Jinja, Kita-ku, Kyoto


6.Inari Jinja (稲荷神社), Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社), Fushimi-ku, Kyoto


7. Kasuga Jinja (春日神社), Kasuga Taisha Nara City, Nara



Middle seven
1. Ōharano Jinja (大原野神社), Ōharano Jinja, Nishikyō-ku,Kyoto


2.Ōmiwa Jinja (大神神社), Ōmiwa Jinja, Sakurai, Nara


3. Isonokami Jinja (石上神社), Isonokami Jingū, Tenri, Nara


4. Ōyamato Jinja (大和神社), Ōyamato Jinja Tenri,Nara


5. Hirose Jinja (廣瀬神社), Hirose Taisha Kawai, Nara


6. Tatsuta Jinja (龍田神社), Tatsuta Taisha Sangō, Nara


7. Sumiyoshi Jinja (住吉神社), Sumiyoshi Taisha Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka


Lower eight
1. Hie Jinja (日吉神社), Hiyoshi Taisha, Otsu, Shiga


2.Umenomiya Jinja (梅宮神社), Umenomiya Taisha Ukyō-ku, Kyoto


3 Yoshida Jinja (吉田神社), Yoshida Jinja, Sakyō-ku, Kyoto


4. Hirota Jinja (廣田神社), Hirota Jinja, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo


5. Gion-sha (祇園社), Yasaka Jinja (八坂神社) Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto


6. Kitano Jinja (北野神社), Kitano Tenmangū (北野天満宮), Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto


7. Nibunokawakami a/k/a Niukawakami Jinja (丹生川上神社) Niukawakami Jinja
Nakasha (middle shrine) Higashiyoshino, Nara


8. Kibune Jinja (貴船神社), a/k/a Kifune Jinja, Sakyō-ku, Kyoto


Interesting to note is that the Fujiwara Dynasty is represented on all three levels. Kasuga in Nara, Ōharano Jinja was their family shrine at the Nagaoka Capital. And finally, Yoshida was their "Kasuga" shrine in the Heian Capital.

In addition, all these shrines were closely connected with temples a few of them developed into megaplexes, i.e. large shrine-temple complexes. The best examples are: Kasuga-Kofukuji, Hie-Enryakuji, Iwashimizu Hachiman-Gokokuji, Gion-Kankeiji, Kitano-Kannonji.

In Heian Period these were the highest ranking shrines and enjoyed significant patronage. During the Middle Ages - Kamakura and Muromachi -this system became less important as official patronage declined.

Nara Religious Sects

The 6 Buddhist Sects in Nara:

1. Hossō 法相宗 (Mahayana) 500,000 followers
2. Jojitsu 成実宗 (Theravada)
3. Kegon 華嚴宗 (Mahayana) 40,000 followers
4. Kusha 倶舎宗(Theravada)
5. Ritsu 律宗 (Theravada and Mahayana) 140,000 followers
6. Sanron 三論 (Mahayana)

Of these 6-- Hosso, Kegon and Ritsu are still active.
Question. At which temples in Kyoto can we find these early Nara sects represented?
some examples: 1.Kiyomizu-dera -- Hosso sect.
2.Hokongo-in near Hanazono Station-- Ritsu sect.
4. Joruri-ji in South Kyoto very close to the Nara border --- Ritsu sect.
5. Suzumushi Temple in the West of Kyoto-- Kegon sect.

Are there any other temples in Kyoto where these early Buddhist sects can be found?

About the 6 Nara schools, great info can be found here: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/six-nara-schools-seven-nara-temples.html

Brief description of Suzumushi from Kyoto Gaidai students.
http://www.kyopro.kufs.ac.jp/dp/dp01.nsf/b7eb328e75d9627a49256feb00103b33/2fa9c832d03b57784925701f001bef72!OpenDocument

This site has some information on Joruri-ji which is a fascinating temple to visit. In the area around it you can hike to another temple Gansen-ji and pass Kamakura Period Buddhist rock carvings. http://www.taleofgenji.org/joruriji.html

Saiji and Toji's Mysterious Origin

The question of which Buddhist sect did Saiji and Toji belong to when Heian Kyo was established came up at our last meeting. According to Paul Groner in, Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School
"These were official temples established to protect the capital, not centers for Nara schools. In fact they were probably built to be used by the bureau of Buddhists and Foreigners (genbaryo or koroji) as centers for entertaining guests." In 823 when Kukai was given control over Toji it became Shingon Monastic Center.



The Office of Monastic Affairs was moved from Yakushiji in Nara to Saiji in Kyoto in the 800's. Sometime in late Heian, when Saiji was damaged by fire, the office of Monsatic Affairs was moved to Toji. Saiji seems to have slowly faded out of history at that point.
Information on Saiji as head of Monastic Affairs can be found here: Ryōgen and Mount Hiei: Japanese Tendai in the Tenth Century, Paul Groner

Finally, Onjoji. This is also know as Miidera, the temple overlooks Lake Biwa. Founded in 764, Onjoji (commonly known as Miidera) Temple is the headquarters of the Jimon sect of Tendai Buddhism and was once a rival of the mighty Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiei.
Question? Can anyone find what Buddhist school Onjoji was at its founding?