Virtual Kozukue 33 Kannon Pilgrimage in Yokohama #20 Shinpuku-ji Temple

     Shinpuku-ji Temple has a grave yard.  The oldest grave stone is that of Priest Joyo (-1682).  He is supposed to have founded the temple, but nothing sure is known about the foundation.

     The Kannon-do Hall is supposed to have been built by the beginning of the 18th century.  The deity is the statue of Sahasrabhuja, who is supposed to have 1,000 arms.  A Sahasrabhuja statue usually has 42 arms, for a physical reason, but this one has only 8.  Legend has it that it was carved out of a Japanese cypress timber by Gyoki (668-749), but scientifically it was made in the 12th century.

     Shinpuku-ji Temple used to have a main hall with the Amitabha statue, which was made in the assembled-wood method presumably around the turn of the 14th century.  The statue is in the Seiryo-ji style.  The prototype to the Seiryo-ji style in japan was brought from China by Cho'nen (938-1016).  He had copied the Amitabha statue carved out of a gosirsa-candana timber under the order by Udayana while Buddha was still alive.  With copyright infringement put aside, the statue looks somewhat exotic.

     As the main hall got decrepit, the temple discarded it and changed the Kannon-do Hall into the main hall of the temple.  Accordingly, the Sahasrabhuja statue became the main deity.  Having achieved enlightenment, the Amitabha statue, without greed,  stands quietly and peacefully in a repository today.

     There stands a torreya nucifera tree, which is supposed to be about 400 years old.  That means the tree has been there as long as the temple.  Or a little longer.

Address: 432-8 Edacho, Aoba Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 225-0013Phone: 045-911-4315