Thousands of golden Buddhas gleam. This is the Sanzenbutsudo hall at Isshinji. It’s part of Isshinji Temple in Osaka a place unlike any other temple in Japan.
Isshinji Temple boasts a fascinating history. Founded in 1185 by Honen it’s a Pure Land Buddhist temple. Retired Emperor Goshirakawa even practiced here. The temple’s current location was gifted by Kodai-in Nene Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s wife. Interestingly Tokugawa Ieyasu used it as his headquarters during the Siege of Osaka Castle.
But Isshinji’s fame doesn’t stem solely from its history or unique modern architecture. It houses something truly extraordinary. Millions of Osaka residents’ ancestors rest here. They’re part of something called Okutsu Butsu Bone Buddhas. These aren’t ordinary statues. They’re made from cremated remains mixed with resin.
The process began in the late 19th century. Isshinji ran out of space for urns. The innovative solution? Creating Amida Buddha statues from the ashes. Each statue represents roughly 150000 people. Seven such statues were made before World War II. They were destroyed but fragments were salvaged. A seventh statue was created in 1948. More have followed.
This is why so many people visit Isshinji. It is a place of reverence. This Sanzenbutsudo hall is an annex a modern addition to the temple. From the outside it looks like a simple concrete building. It’s even labeled as a theater on some maps. But step inside. You’ll discover a huge dome. Its interior is stunning. Golden statues adorn its exterior. A massive tempera mural one of the largest in the world covers the interior. An experimental theater group uses the hall. The hall has rows of chairs facing an altar. The mural depicts Amida Kannon and Seishi welcoming the departed. It’s a breathtaking space that blends the sacred and the artistic the past and the present all within the grounds of Isshinji Temple.