Virtual Eastern Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #25 Komyo-ji Temple

 

      Shin-Komyo-ji Temple was founded by Priest Ban’o (?-1635) as a retreat for the priests of Komyo-ji Temple in Kamakura.  The 1657 Meireki Great Fire burned 60-70 percent of Edo and killed 30-100 thousand people.  The temple burned down in the fire, was revived by Priest Tenga (?-1665), and was renamed just Komyo-ji.  The Kanto Great Earthquake broke out in 1923, and the temple was merged with Saiko-ji Temple, which used to be located at 6-1 Higashi-Ueno, in 1926. 

     Komyo-ji Temple’s graveyard has the grave of Toriyama Sekien (1712-1788), who was a scholar, poet, and painter who was trained by Kano School.  He applied Kano techniques to ukiyoe printmaking.  He was not only a good artist but also a good teacher.  He taught numerous apprentices in poetry and painting.  His apprentices included Utagawa Toyoharu(1735-1814) and Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806).

     However, Sekien is best known today for his mass-produced illustrated books of yokai, Japanese monsters, ghosts, and demons.  He first published Gazu Hyakki Yagyo (literally the Illustrated Night Parade of a Hundred Demons) in 1776.  It became so popular he published 9 sequels.  They influenced ukiyoe artists such as Kawanabe Kyosai (1735-1834) and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892).  Even a modern manga artist, Mizuki Shigeru (1922-2015) was inspired by Sekien’s works.  It is no exaggeration to say what images of yokai Japanese people have in their mind are based on what Sekien drew.

     You can get a “goshuin” paper when you visit any temple that belongs to any pilgrimage.  Interestingly enough, what Komyo-ji Temples offer have illustrations of yokai.

     Komyo-ji Temple is also the #15 member temple of the Edo Bando 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.

 

Address: 4 Chome−7−10 Motoasakusa, Taito Ward, Tokyo 111-0041

Phone: 03-3845-4710