Motsuji

Motsuji
毛越寺

Motsuji was founded in 850 by Ennin (Jikaku Daishi), though most of its structures were not built until the twelfth century, when the second and third Hiraizumi Fujiwara lords, Motohira and Hidehira, brought the temple to prominence. At its peak, Motsuji was a complex of 40 halls and stupas, and 500 monks' quarters. The temple is said to have exceeded even Chusonji Temple in size and magnificence. However, after the fall of the Fujiwara at the close of the twelfth century, several terrible fires reduced every last one of those buildings to ashes. The only original feature remaining is the Pure Land Garden centered on Oizumi ga Ike Pond. This outstanding twelfth century garden specimen was almost completely preserved and has been designated a Special Historic Site and Special Place of Scenic Beauty by the Japanese government.

毛越寺は慈覚大師円仁が開山(850)し、藤原氏二代基衡公から三代秀衡公の時代に多くの伽藍が造営されました。往時には堂塔40僧坊500を数え、中尊寺をしのぐほどの規模と華麗さであったといわれています。奥州藤原氏滅亡後、度重なる災禍に遭いすべての建物が焼失しましたが、現在大泉が池を中心とする浄土庭園と平安時代の伽藍遺構がほぼ完全な状態で保存されており、国の特別史跡・特別名勝の二重の指定を受けています。岩手県

These pictures were taken on November, 2015.

Motsuji Main Gate

毛越寺 正門

About Motsuji

http://www.motsuji.or.jp/english/yurai/index.html

Google map
https://goo.gl/maps/WX3ZWeWLhZk

Hondo ; Main Hall 

本堂

The primary object of worship is a statue of Yakushi Nyorai that has survived since the temple's heyday.

本尊は薬師如来で、平安時代の作 

Pure Land Garden, Motsuji Temple Garden

浄土庭園

Oizumi ga Ike Pond

大泉が池

Kaisando Hall

開山堂

This hall commemorates Ennin (Jikaku Daishi), third head abbot of the Tendai sect, to whom the temple legend attribute's Motsuji's founding.

毛越寺を開いた慈覚大師円仁(794-864)

常行堂

Jogyodo ; Circumambulation Hall

The current structure was rebuilt in 1732 to extend the military fortunes of the lord of Sendai, Date Yoshimura. Under the hall's pyramidal roof is a dais on which is the primary object of worship, the Amida Buddha, flanked by four bodhisattvas.

Amida Buddha

阿弥陀如来

Japanese foods are good and safe.

Because of stricter food safety law by Japanese government, we have no worry about foods.

Tenzaru Soba ; Tempura and Soba Noodles Served on a Zaru Basket

天ざるそば

Ramen

ラーメン

Shirako ; Soft roe, Fish Milt Sashimi

白子

Ekiben ; Box lunch sold on a train or at a station

駅弁

 About 5 years have passed since Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident. I have visited various places of Japan to see the health consequence of the accident.

 Fortunately I have never found any impacts by the accident among Japanese creatures. As far as I know, nobody has health problem which is caused by the nuclear power plant accident in Japan.

 Our Prime Minister Abe assures that "The situation is under control. The influence of the contaminated water is completely blocked within Fukushima. There are no health-related problems until now and there will never be health problems." He also said that "Tokyo is 250 kilometers away from Fukushima, and the kind of danger that you imagine does not exist in Tokyo. Tokyo is a very safe city."

 As PM Abe said, Iwate prefecture have no concern about the nuclear power plant accident. People in Iwate have already forgotten the accident, because they think radioactive materials cannot reach there.

 We know there is no problem for childbirth and child rearing in Iwate. So people in Iwate are living without any concern about the accident.

 I continue to visit various places in Japan to see the effects of the nuclear power plant accident, because I can meet various creatures which are more sensitive to radioactive materials from the environment. It is important to see their health for our safety.

公衆衛生ネットワーク

Public Health Network in Japan

http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/phnet/