Virtual Western Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #16 Gyokuho-ji Temple

 

     Gyokuho-ji Temple was founded in Hacchobori, namely 872 Meters Long Trench,  in 1599.  As Edo Castle was enlarged, the temple was moved to its present place in Mita Village, Ebara County, Musashi Province, in 1635.  Its main deity is Siddhartha, the temple is also known for its Ksitigarbha statue.

     The Ksitigarbha is known as a face-power Ksitigarbha statue.  Nizo-bashi Bridge was across the Haccho-bori Trench.  A stone Ksitigarbha statue stood at the foot of the bridge.  In 1601, the statue burned down in a big fire and was lost.  Later, Priest Soitsu of Gyokuho-ji Temple found the statue covered with mud in the trench.  He felt sorry for the statue, brought it back to the temple, and washed it.  He tried to mend its scratches, flaws, and chips in vain.  Finally, he put face powder on the statue and enshrined it in the precincts.  Surprisingly, the birthmark on his face vanished.  Townspeople heard of it, and flocked to the statue with face powder in their hands, ahanting the Ksitigarbha Mantra, “om ha-ha-ha vismaye svaha” aloud.  Today, the temple prepares baby powder instead of face powder, yet some people even paint the “nails” of the statue, which stands with its body white and its fingertips red.

     The faith in Avalokitesvara is still alive too.

     On August 12, 1985, a Japan Air Lines Flight 123 suffered a sudden decompression 12 minutes into the flight, and crashed on Osutaka Ridge, near Mt. Osutaka.  Kitahara Yoko (1961-1985), an opera house actress, was one of the victims.  A year later, an Avalokitesvara statue was built to commemorate her by her family, relatives, colleagues, and fans.

Address: 4 Chome-11-19 Mita, Minato City, Tokyo 108-0073

Phone: 03-3451-7214