{Inter} Cultural Japan

Narita is so famous as the site of an airport (and therefore not particularly popular as airports the world over all mean long waits and hauling heavy luggage) that one forgets it was first and for all the site of a temple. In fact, Narita grew up as the monzenmachi, the “Town before the Gate” of the temple. That temple, Shinshoji, not only still exists, it is positively prospering and one of the great temples of the Kanto.

The street leading to Shinshoji, the sando where one still finds most of the old Monzenmachi, is almost a kilometer long. As usual, there are plenty of restaurants (unagi or eel seems to be popular in Narita), shops selling a local variety of pickles, a shop selling bamboo ware and another one earthenware, and -more to look than buy - an old-style pharmacy exhibiting stuffed snakes, turtles and other exotic ingredients. It is bustling and interesting area, the only drawback being that the narrow street is also used by cars and buses.

Through stalls hawking trinkets, we make our way to the Niomon, the temple gate (this one has four statues, also two at the back) that stands on top of a series of steep steps. Even steeper ones lead to the courtyard where the main hall sits. In between is a bridge over a small pond that is literally teeming with turtles.

[Gate of Shinshoji Temple]

Fudo, the Immovable One
The main hall is new, massive and imposing, vintage 1960s. After all, Shinshoji manages to attract three million visitors in the first week of the new year alone. It is tasteful in style and ones does not mind the fact that the materials are not traditional wood. Inside, one can go behind the glass (after taking off the shoes) and sit on he red carpet in front of the altar. This is the only way to catch a glimpse of the main image, a fiery Fudo who is almost dwarfed in the enormous hall. Fudo Myoo, the Immovable One, is one of the five wisdom kings embodying the wrathful aspect of the Cosmic Buddha Dainichi Nyorai. He became one of the most popular gods in esoteric Buddhism in Japan.

Fudo is the origin of the temple. It started with an uprising in the Kanto plain in 940. Taira no Masakado had taken up arms and declared himself the new emperor of eastern Japan. It was a crisis for the court in Kyoto. The troops that were sent out to fight the rebels carried with them a statue of Fudo Myoo, the Immovable King, that had been carved more than a century earlier by Kobo Daishi and which afterwards had been efficacious in quelling another rebellion.

The magic worked again. After arriving in the Kanto area, the priest Kancho erected an altar and performed a ritual in front of the Fudo statue. Masakado, the rebel leader, soon died in battle and the rebellion was crushed. The imperial troops prepared for their return to the capital. Now another wonder happened: the Fudo statue refused to budge. He seemed miraculously yo increase in weight and nobody could lift him up. Priest Kancho then had a vision of the Fudo, who told him that he wished to stay and protect the people of the East. This was reported to the Emperor, who ordered a temple built to house the image. That is our Shinshoji, the “Temple of the New Victory” (meaning the second victory over rebels by the statue). Naritasan has since its founding been a major center of religious power, attracting millions of worshippers seeking the protection and power of the Fudo.

[The traditional pagoda]

A Fire Ritual
By chance, we have arrived when the esoteric goma ritual is just about to start. Led by a conch shell blowing monk, a group of priests in colorful garb make their way to the hall. The purifying fire that the head priest lights after many ritual movements and prayers, is the fire of Fudo, that cleans us from our earthly passions. This Immovable One stands against a halo of fire, carrying the sword that cuts away attachments and the rope to tie them up so that they will not return. Slowly the priest throws the gomagi, the flat wooden prayer sticks, into the raging flames. Desire is seared away, the soul purified. Fudo stands there, in the middle of the flames.

After the ceremony we walk around the other buildings in the courtyard: an Edo period three-storied pagoda (dating from 1712, but freshly repainted), a bell tower, the sutra repository, the Shaka Hall, and many other, beautiful old buildings. The temple grounds are as vast as its main hall. Further to the back is a hall with large votive plates hanging under the eaves. One can loose oneself for many hours here.

And then there is the beautifully landscaped park at the back of the temple, with a modern pagoda at its center. This pagoda houses a giant statue of the Fudo, glaring with bulging eyes from a black face. It is a good example of modern Buddhist statue. The inside of the pagoda has been painted in brilliant colors, the way temples must have been originally before their colors faded to the present pleasant monochrome.

[The modern pagoda in Narita Park]

Sunday in the Park
We wander through the shady park. Massive stone monuments, erected by religious associations belonging to the temple, stand lined up under the trees. It is the end of August and the first day after many weeks that the oppressive summer heat has abated. Gray clouds mercifully cover the sun. We imagine we hear the thunder rumbling in the distance, but realize the sound is being made by the planes landing and taking of at Narita Airport.

So close and still so far. There is the bustling and pushing and shoving, here is the kingdom of the Fudo. There is the gate through which cravings and longings flow, here is the release from those desires and fulfillment.

Leaving all attachments behind like the summer heat, we wander free and unrestrained, enjoying a real, new victory.

Access: 20 min. on foot from JR Narita Station or Keisei Narita Station.
Hours: 8:30-16:00. Note that the temple buildings itself, such as the pagoda, already close before 16:00, so come early. The goma ceremony is held a few times a day; we attended the one at 15:00. Free. 300 yen for the temple museum (Reikokan, housed in the lower floor of the pagoda in the park).
Note: More about Narita can be found in my post Narita, more than airport) and in Haiku Stones, where I write about the haiku stone by Basho in Shinshoji’s park.

Bookmark with Del.icio.us - Digg it