Discovery Temples in KOMYOIN |夜の光明院で時空を超えた体験を| 500年にわたり語り継がれる輝かしい職人技の数々を見て・触って・感じて・味わう特別な夜へのご招待

Head priest:

Keisui Fujita　住職藤田慶水

Zen monk of the Tofukuji School of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.He was ordained as a Zen priest of the Tofukuji Order of Rinzai Zen Buddhism in 2003, and was a member of the Tofukuji Order of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. In 2003, he began his Zen training at Tofukuji Temple, the head temple of the Tofukuji School of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, in Higashiyama, Kyoto, under the guidance of Tofukuji Temple head priest, Fukushimaso Keido Roshi. In 2009, he entered Zen meditation with Master Yushoken Harada Yudo at Tofukuji Zen Dojo, where he remained for 10 years until 2012, when he completed his training. After several months of traveling and staying at Dharma related temples all over Japan, he became the vice chief priest of Ryuko-ji Temple in Suzuka in 2013.

PROGRAM INFO

Experience beyond time and space at Komyoin at night.

For three special days, see, touch, and feel the glorious artisan that has been passed down for 500 years.

In a main hall with a karesansui garden, where the autumn leaves shine brightly under the moonlight, the temple's priest introduces the influence that the Rinzai sect has imparted on Japanese culture, the essence of Rinzai Zen, and the significance of practicing zazen (Zen meditation). Through zazen, you'll feel your five senses becoming sharper, leading to a unity of mind. After five minutes, when you open your eyes, you are surrounded by artistic works and creative endeavors that remain unchanged from 500 years ago. Illuminated solely by the moonlight and traditional Japanese wax candles, you witness the artisan's traditional techniques. From the master of Japanese sword polishing, you learn to appreciate the nuances that can only be seen with the light of a Japanese wax candle and complete a Japanese painting. Savor meticulously prepared vegetarian dishes and enjoy Japanese sake on the veranda, gazing at the moonlit karesansui garden. Conclude your evening by enjoying the songs and dances of maiko/geisha and sampling sushi. Why not indulge in this autumnal night to the fullest? This unique nighttime experience is sure to immerse you in the world of the Rinzai sect and the realm of Zen."

Discovery Temples in KOMYOIN

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HISTORY OF KOMYOIN

In 1391, at the beginning of the Muromachi period (1392-1573), the pagoda of Tofukuji Temple was founded by Myoichiro Kinzan. The temple is home to Marishiten, the guardian deity of victory, and is known as the "rainbow moss temple," with a garden of moss and sand in perfect harmony. Hashin-tei" is a dry landscape garden created by Mirei Shigemori in 1939, featuring three stone arrangements in white sand representing the temple's name, Komyo. The Luogetsuan was built in 1956, and its windows and walls are decorated with moon motifs, allowing visitors to enjoy the moon rising in the eastern sky from the Hashin garden. Marishiten is sometimes represented riding on the moon, and the exquisite design, which is consistent from the temple name to the Luorgetsuan, brings beautiful scenery and peace of mind. The temple's design is also imbued with the lesson that the moon (Buddha's heart) will be reflected in the waves if one abandons his or her worldly desires.