#289 August 2014 A Visit to Konjiji Temple By David C. Moreton Painting of pilgrim family at Konjiji (David C. Moreton) Oliver Statler (1912-2003), the temples do not constitute route, which at times are a renowned scholar on the pilgrimage, they merely located very far apart. the Shikoku pilgrimage punctuate it.” He was referring However, I would like to and author of Japanese to the eighty-eight officially emphasize that there are Pilgrimage (1983), said in a designated Buddhist temples many more sites such as documentary that, “visits to along the Shikoku pilgrimage Shinto shrines, bekkaku Page 1, 3-4: A Visit to Konjiji Temple Page 4-6: Paying It Forward; Page 6-7: Gojahei-Ren: Keeping With Traditions Page 8: Fitness Corner; Letter from Suketo Hoikuen; Page 9: Irene's Recipe Corner Page 9-10: Crime Prevention Tips; Page 10: Japanese Lesson Page 11-12: Events & Memoranda 1 is a monthly publication of the Tokushima Prefectural International Exchange Association (TOPIA) Clement Plaza 6F 1-61 Terashima Honcho Nishi Tokushima City 770-0831 JAPAN Jenifer Tanikawa & Martin Rathmann tel: 088.656.3303 fax: 088.652.0616 David C. Moreton, Junko Kimura, Rochelle [email protected] Holmes, Clint Eckstein, Kazue Inoue, Irene http://www.topia.ne.jp/ Wachuga, Takako Yamada Download a PDF file of awa life or view the online version by going to TOPIA's website! Show Tokushima Some Love: Awaglot The literary corner of If you have something you AwaLife, Awaglot, is a Religious, political, would like to share with combination of the words or commercial activities, the Tokushima community, "awa" and "polyglot", which businesses searching for email the editors at means multilingual. Be it clients or employees, fiction, nonfiction, prose things the Awa Life editors or poetry; funny, sad, long deem inappropriate. or short, we want your submissions! If you like to write, then express yourself! concerts, lectures, and other event There is also a classifieds information, cultural, sporting, section for you, our readers, and other community to post ads in, but a few group information, etcetera. rules do apply! Awa odori dancers adorned in the full female outfit (Junko Kimura) 2 A Visti to Konjiji Temple (Con't from Page 1) ( : special) temples, the nearby waterfall was schedule can be seen on bangai ( : outside the used as a mean of training the temple`s website, but number) sites, okunoin ( and purification. The temple the goma (fire) rituals held : inner sanctuary), and fell into disuse, but during the once or twice a month in the odō ( : small building) 16th century Lord Hachisuka, main hall are something that play an equal role in who controlled the Tokushima to be experienced. As well, the pilgrimage and are domain, offered his support every April there is a huge worth visiting. after Zaō Gongen appeared festival during which a in his dream and instructed portable shrine is carried One such place is Konjiji him on how to win a battle. around the temple grounds temple, which is the okunoin As a sign of gratitude, by children. This is followed of Temple 13, Dainichiji, Hachisuka asked a Buddhist by an arm-wrestling tournament, and is located about twenty- sculpturist to carve a statue mochi (pounded rice cake)- five minutes by car from of Zaō Gongen and present throwing activity, goma Bunka no Mori (Tokushima it to the temple. These ceremony, and a free prize Pref. Library). This temple two statues are hidden giveaway - all of which is located at an elevation behind a door in the cave attracts a lot of people. of 310m (slightly higher within the main hall, but For the giveaway anyone than Mt. Bizan at 280m) you can see a 90cm tall who would like to have a and offers a great view of statue of Amida Nyorai, chance to win something Tokushima city. To get there said to have been carved goes into the main hall you can drive up a long, in the 15th century, which and receives a numbered steep and winding road or has been designated as a card (one card per person), walk up the henromichi cultural treasure of Tokushima. then goes to the open (pilgrim path) as many Gradually the temple once area in front of the office people do on their way again fell into disuse, but building and listens to the from Temple 12, Shōsanji in the 19th century a numbers being called. There to Temple 13, Dainichiji. Buddhist priest called Teia is a wide variety of prizes ( : 1805-1885) worked such as cases of beer, It is believed that during fervently in the community bottles of sake, small pieces the 7th century, En no to gather support for its of furniture, electronic goods Gyōja (634-701), a Buddhist restoration. (His grave is (like the blood pressure ascetic said to be the located beneath the lantern monitor that I won). The founder of Shugendō (mountain tower.) And again, after great prize is a huge asceticism) founded this World War II, work was plasma TV!!! It does not temple. Then Kōbō Daishi done to restore the temple cost anything to get a (774-835) came in the 8th to a usable state. numbered card. century and while he was training here carved a Today, many exciting events Even though visiting a sacred statue of the main deity, are held at Konjiji, but I site, such as a temple or ZaōGongen( ) recommend going early shrine, and viewing the and placed it in a cave. because the parking lot is buildings, gardens, and other Konjiji gradually became small and trying to park on structures may be interesting, a training place for people the narrow road can be personally I like to look for interested in Shugendō and treacherous. A detailed evidence of people who 3 A Visit to Konjiji Temple (Con't from Page 3) have actually visited that and one of the children There are many other place in the past. At Konjiji, got sick so the parents interesting things to see at I found such in the main fervently prayed for him to Konjiji, but unfortunately not hall. When you go up the get better. Zaō Gongen enough space to write stairs look to your right. appeared to them in their about them, so when you There you will see a dream and said that all have some time please painting of a family of four would be well, and as a visit this interesting temple – father, mother and two result, the boy was cured. that is one of many sites children - in white pilgrim To show their gratitude, that punctuate the Shikoku attire. The father is carrying the family embarked on pilgrimage. a small shrine on his the Shikoku pilgrimage and back. In the upper left when they arrived at Konjiji Temple Information: corner there are three deities they found out that this Accommodation available - Zaō Gongen, Fudō Myōō temple`s main deity was for 4,000yen/night/person and Kōbō Daishi – on a Zaō Gongen, so a token (no meals) cloud. The date states "the of their appreciation, the Website: sixth month of Meiji 11 father left behind the small www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~konjiji/ (1878)" and the location is shrine that he had been Tel: 088-644-1232 “Hasuike village, Takaoka carrying on his back, which district, Kochi prefecture.” can be seen today in the It is believed that the small building just below family was from this village the main hall. Paying It Forward By Rochelle Holmes The following is the winning speech from the 2014 Tokushima Prefectural Japanese Speech Contest: Have you ever received a really special gift? How did you feel? Maybe you said “Thank you, thank you!” again and again. On the other hand, maybe you were so moved you couldn’t say anything. Or perhaps Speech Contest Grand Prize Recipient Rochelle Holmes you gave something back could Japanese people give in return? I think that Before coming to Japan, I and take so much with moment of thankfulness is had heard that Japanese such tiny houses? Instead extremely important. Today, people give gifts all the of giving big gifts, I was I will tell you how grate- time. I imagined a house surprised to see how often fulness can change the cluttered up with nick-knacks the omiyage turned out to world. and forgotten toys. How be food or useful things 4 Paying It Forward (Con't from Page 4) from other prefectures. In show them gratitude. My cry with nostalgia. That America it would be strange first big experience was night I came home to find to give a towel or rice with an obaasan (elderly a bag of KFC on my door scooper to a friend. Couldn’t lady) in Kitajima. One day handle from my pastor’s they just buy it themselves? when I was lost, an old wife. In my homesickness, But in Japan, regional lady called out from her it was exactly what I specialties make these garden, “What are you up needed; the taste of America. gifts both thoughtful and to?” “I’m lost,” I said, and How could I return the exciting. we jumped into conversation. thoughtfulness she showed That day I left with a big me that day? All of this omiyage is a bag of vegetables. When I result of 'on' (gratitude), the came back to give her After many experiences like obligation to repay kindness some cookies, she wouldn’t this, I was overwhelmed in the future. It encourages let me leave without more bythesenseof'on'. The dependent relationships that of her fresh food.