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Delve a Little Deeper into Japan’s Attractions!

Away with Epidemics!
The Ancient Jindaiji Temple and Jindaiji Soba

Main gate

Main hall

Approach to temple

Long, long ago, way before the time of Tokyo, Edo, and even Musashino Province, theancient temple of Jindaiji was founded at an important place of worship by people who
loved the abundant spring water there. Have you heard about the lush green Jindaiji
temple in Chofu with its diverse attractions and the soba culture lining its approach?
Jindaiji is the only temple in Tokyo enshrining a statue of Buddha designated as anational treasure. The temple’s deity, Ganzan Daishi, drives away epidemics, and soba
noodles are a nutritional food that boosts the immune system. Let me introduce Jindaiji,
which continues to play an important role in comforting people in these uncertain times,
and its tasty soba.
Thanks to the good offices of Mr. Genyu Kamihara of
Jindaiji’s public relations department (on the right in thephoto), I was able to hear from Mr. Gyoshun Hayashida (left) of
the temple’s general affairs department. I also received
cooperation from Mr. Kazuyuki Ishikawa, chairman of the
Jindaiji Soba Association and owner of the Matsuba Chaya restaurant.
Although Jindaiji has lost treasures and buildings on several occasions due to repeatedfires over the centuries, it still has many historical halls and Buddhist statues all with
their own intriguing stories. Visitors can enjoy a stroll around them, admiring thesurrounding greenery as they go, and then finish their tour with a bowl of soba. Or thereverse is possible too, of course. Let’s visit the temple in chronological order.

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Spring water by themain gate

The corridor connected Main Hall
the main hall and the
Ganzan Daishi Hall

Ancient Times to Tempyo Era (729–749): God of Water and Matchmaking(Jinsha Daio Hall)

Jinsha Daio Hall

The maple tunnel
behind the Jinsha
Daio Hall

Steps connecting cliffs

Jindaiji temple, which is located 15 km from Shinjuku in the southwestern part of theMusashino Plateau, is 56 meters above sea level. The lowest point in Chofu, by the sideof the Tamagawa river, is 24 meters above sea level. The slope connecting this differenceof 32 meters is called the Kokubunji Escarpment, and underground water bubbles up
from below the cliffs. People have gathered on this land ever since the prehistoric Jomon
period. Many ruins and burial mounds exist, suggesting that this was a place from where
people disseminated culture since ancient times.
It was against this background that the legend of Jinsha Daio, the god of water,
emerged. The legend has it that Fukuman, the father of the founder of Jindaiji, Manku
Shonin, fell in love with the daughter of a village head named Ukon, but her parents
disapproved of the match and hid her on an island in a lake. The lovesick Fukuman did

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not give up, however. Recalling the tale of
how the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang
had been saved by the god of water while
traveling across a desert, he prayed to Jinsha
Daio, upon which a giant turtle appeared tocarry him to the island. The parents thenapproved of the match, and Manku Shonin
was born. To fulfill his father’s longThe sculpture of a giant turtle in theFounder’s Hall

cherished dream, Manku Shonin entered thepriesthood and crossed over to China to study

the Hosso Sect of Buddhism. (Yakushiji and Kofukuji temples in Nara still adhere to the
Hosso Sect.) After returning to Japan, Manku Shonin founded Jindaiji in 733 as a temple
dedicated to Jinsha Daio (forming the name from the “jin” and “dai” characters). Thisworship of the god of water sprang from people’s feelings of deep gratitude for water.
Jinsha Daio Hall, which is located down from the main hall near the spring water source,
is designated as the oldest building in Chofu; records show that it was built around 1662.
There are also many horse-shaped picture tablets (ema) here praying for good matchups.
Matchmaking has been a wish of visitors for nearly four centuries.

Hakuho Era (ca. 645–710): Statue of Hakuho Buddha, a National Treasure
Protected by Jindaiji (Shaka Hall)

Statue of Shaka Nyorai, a national treasure (center) and replicas of the Yumechigai
Kannon statue at Horyuji (left) and the Yakushi Nyorai statue at Shinyakushiji (right)(Photo courtesy of Jindaiji)

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This statue of Shaka Nyorai (Gautama Buddha, theHistorical Buddha), seated with a merciful and gentle faceand soft figure, was made in the latter half of the Asuka
period (593–710) and is thought to have been brought fromNara to Jindaiji at the time of the temple’s founding in 733.
The oldest such statue in eastern Japan, it was designatedas a national treasure in 2017. It is the only one of Tokyo’s
three Buddhist statues designated as national treasures
to be kept in a temple. (The others are in Tokyo National
Statue of Shaka Nyorai, anational treasure (Photo
courtesy of Jindaiji)

Museum and Okura Museum of Art.) Because the figure
and casting technique are similar to the Yakushi Nyorai(Medicine Buddha) statue at Shinyakushiji temple in

Nara and the statue of Yumechigai Kannon (Dream-Changer Bodhisattva) at Horyuji
temple in Nara, the so-called Hakuho Buddha statue is thought to have been produced
at the same workshop in Nara.
The statue’s history has not been entirely serene, though. At the time of Jindaiji’sfounding, it was the principal image of the temple. But following a great fire in 1865, thereconstruction of the main hall did not proceed well, and the statue was temporarily
stored under the pedestal of another statue in the Ganzan Daishi Hall. There it remained
until being rediscovered by Mr. Joe Shibata, an assistant at Tokyo Imperial University,
in 1909; it was designated as a national treasure under the law of that time. The statue
was also placed in a pond at the time of a fire, so, in a way, it was saved by the god ofwater.
The statue’s form of a seated Buddha, with no hair curls and flowing robe, is the
Hakuho style. The surface seems to have been painted with gold, but strangely no
mercury, which was usually used at this time, has been discovered. One wonders whatjourney the statue made around 1,300 years ago, probably during the Nara period (710–794), all the way from that workshop in Nara, where the Yumechigai Kannon statue may
well have been standing alongside, to Jindaiji. With its faint smile, the Buddha seems to
be comforting us living in these troubled times today as well. The statue can be seen in
the Shaka Hall, where every care is taken to control the environment for its preservation.

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International Hospitality and Conference Service Association (IHCSA)Heian Period (794–1185): Conversion to Tendai Sect (Main Gate, Main Hall,
Founder’s Hall)
When you climb some steps from the approach, pass through the main gate, and thenlook back, the moss-covered gate with its thatched roof really does appear beautiful.
Jindaiji lost many buildings in the great fire of 1865, but miraculously the main gateescaped the misfortune, and the structure built in 1695 remains to this day. The main
hall houses a statue of Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha) said to have been made by themonk Eshin Sozu (also known as Genshin; 942–1017). The statue’s crowned figure canbe glimpsed from outside.

Main gate

The main gate (looking backfrom inside)

Main hall

Jindaiji converted to the Tendai Sect of Buddhism following an imperial request byEmperor Junnin (reigned 758–764) to establish “Fugakusan Jindaiji” as a Tendai
training center to pray for protection of the country. After that, in about 860, Emperor
Seiwa issued an imperial decree, upon which the monk Eryo Kasho (800–859), an
outstanding practitioner of esoteric Buddhism on Mount Hiei, came east and set up a
training center at Jindaiji to pray for the pacification of a rebellion by the governor ofMusashino Province. These episodes provide evidence that Jindaiji was much trusted by
the central government at that time.
Climbing some elegant steps from the main hall, you come to the Founder’s Hall, which
was built in 1983 to commemorate the 1,250th anniversary of the founding of Jindaiji.
The hall houses statues of Manku Shonin, the founder of Jindaiji, and Eryo Kasho.
Saicho (posthumously known as Dengyo Daishi), the founder of the Tendai Sect, taughtthat “Shining light into a corner reveals a national treasure.” In other words, cherish thelight that each one of us shines
into a dark corner. These arewords of salvation that keep
watch over people even today.

Founder’s HallIHCSA Café

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Kamakura to Edo Period (1603–1868): Ganzan Daishi Drives Away
Epidemics (Ganzan Daishi Hall)

Seated statue of Ganzan
Daishi (Photo courtesy of
Jindaiji)

Ganzan Daishi Hall

After climbing a few steps to the left of the main hall, you can see the wonderfully
designed Ganzan Daishi Hall standing in a forest. This hall houses a priestly wooden
seated statue of Ganzan Daishi, which at nearly two meters is the largest statue of its
kind in Japan. It is rarely shown to the public. The monk Ryogen (912–985), who led therestoration of Enryakuji temple on Mount Hiei and attained the highest rank in theTendai Sect, was given the posthumous name of Ganzan Daishi because he passed away
on January 3. (Ganzan refers to the third day of the first month.) The reason why thestatue is so big is that, eager to repel the Mongol invasions, the Kamakura bakufu of thetime requested Jindaiji to make an awesomely large statue of Ganzan Daishi in therealistic Kamakura style to reflect his extraordinary supernatural power.
The so-called hidden statue is displayed to the public
once every 25 years; the next public showing isscheduled for 2034. In 2021, however, it is scheduled to
be exhibited at the Tokyo National Museum. Records
show that in the past, on a visit to Kaneiji temple in
Ueno, they had difficulty getting the massive statue
through the front gate.
Horned master amulets (The amulet with one large face
was placed outdoors, and the amulet with 33 facesindoors.)

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Ganzan Daishi became an object of popular worship in the Edo period. Wheneverepidemics raged, he would transform into an ogrelike “horned master” and drive away
the illness. Ganzan Daishi was a great comfort to ordinary folk, who suffered a lot fromthe frequent epidemics that struck in the Edo period. At that time, horned master
amulets were placed at the entrances to houses around Japan. There was even a popular
humorous verse (senryu) that went, “Hidden in the New Year’s decorations, the horned
master.” Today, such amulets ranging from the scary to the cute can be purchased at
Tendai temples, and at Jindaiji the Goma fire ritual is held every day to deliver people’s
wishes. No doubt many people these days wish for Ganzan Daishi to display his
epidemic-repelling power to quell the current pandemic.

The Goma fire ritual (Photo courtesy of Jindaiji)

Wooden sticks for writing
your wishes

Ganzan Daishi was also the founder ofthe omikuji fortune-telling slips sold at
temples and shrines in Japan. At Jindaiji,
visitors can draw a daruma mikuji. This is
the original form of the omikuji, so “badluck” messages are quite common.
(Left) Ganzan Daishi fortune-telling slips(Right) Daruma mikuji (Buy one of these,
and the Daruma [Bodhidharma] stays withyou. First, give him a left eye . . .)IHCSA Café

International Hospitality and Conference Service Association (IHCSA)In addition, Jindaiji hosts a Daruma Fair on
March 3 and 4 of every year. Stores from aroundthe country set up stalls at this event. In particular,
since sericulture was a lively industry in theseparts from the middle of the Edo period to the Meiji
period (1868–1912), the Tama Daruma, which
resembles a silkworm, can be seen. The daruma
dolls all have different faces, so searching for one toyour liking is fun.

Daruma Fair

Map of the temple precincts

Jindaiji Soba

Matsuba Chaya (Therestaurant has an old jolcham
oak tree measuring more than
30 m in height and 3.6 m incircumference.)

Chairman Kazuyuki
Ishikawa of the Jindaiji
Soba Association

Nihachi soba (80% buckwheat
flour, 20% wheat flour)IHCSA Café

International Hospitality and Conference Service Association (IHCSA)The soil in the vicinity of Jindaiji is andosol (dark-colored), which is more suited tosoba cultivation than rice growing. There is plenty of spring water as well, so as far backas the Edo period the famous Jindaiji soba was being presented to the shogun’s family
and to Kaneiji, one of the Tokugawa mortuary temples. As shown by the poem-inscribedmonuments remaining, many poets, such as Ota Nanpo (penname Shokusanjin; 1749–
1823), also visited the area to savor this Jindaiji soba. Attracted by the opening of Jindai
Botanical Garden after World War II, many restaurants gathered around the temple,
creating a unique townscape. The Jindaiji Soba Association was organized; it now has
19 members (one of which is not a restaurant but a souvenir shop). The association holds
a soba class for elementary school children, who over a year can experience everythingfrom planting and harvesting to making soba. Other enjoyable activities include
Japanese-style summer evening games and soba restaurant stamp rallies.

There are many soba restaurants in the area vying with one another to supply
the best taste.

In addition, Jindaiji holds a memorial service for soba on the
final Saturday in November every year in what is known as the“tributary soba ceremony.” Even now, the Sobamori Kannon keeps
watch over Jindaiji soba. Mr. Ishikawa, chairman of the Jindaiji
Soba Association, also stresses the nutritional value of soba.
Apparently

soba

containsagoodbalanceofrutin,

lipopolysaccharide (LPS), protein, dietary fiber, and minerals toenhance the immune system and thereby build robust bodies.
Soba, he declares “is the ideal Japanese soul food right now!” Another attraction of
Jindaiji soba is that the restaurants carefully select soba flour produced in different partsof Japan, so it is possible to eat and compare soba with a variety of tastes.

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Nearby a waterwheel millusing spring water has been
reproduced, complete with astonemortarandricepolisher; it is managed by
Chofu City. Reservations arenecessary, but it can be usedby the public. The stonemortar does not pass heat tothe soba flour, so the flavor is
Waterwheel millretained. The present mill The stream water rotates thewas reconstructed in 1992 at waterwheel.

a place that local people in about the Meiji period jointly used for flower milling and ricepolishing; there is also an attached history museum.

The vicinity of Jindaiji has manymonuments inscribed with verses bypoets and writers who visited and werefond of the area (there is a fascinating
coursetakingmonuments),

youasaround
well

as

these
such

attractions as Jindai Botanical Garden,
Jindai Aquatic Botanical Garden, andthe Jindaiji Castle ruins. A visit here
really does open up another splendidly“Everyone says the temple soba tastes good.
Thank you, dear Buddha.” (Hian Shimizu)

verdant world.

Cooperation:
Jindaiji Temple: https://www.jindaiji.or.jp/en/
Chofu City Regional Information Consortium (NPO): https://chofu-clic.com/ (Japanese)
Jindaiji Soba Association

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