毘沙門天 大乗坊

Tucked away in the bustling heart of Osaka, the Bishamonten Daishoji Temple whispers tales of resilience and rebirth. Bishamonten Daishoji Temple, also known as Daishoji Temple, has a history intertwined with the tumultuous past of this vibrant city. It originally stood as one of 37 sub-temples of the Shitennoji Temple in Tennōji. Known then as Hoshoji, Bishamonten Daishoji served as a guardian temple. During the Sengoku period, amidst the chaos of war, Hoshoji Temple was destroyed. The temple’s head priest, a devoted follower of Bishamonten, fled the burning temple carrying a statue of the deity. He eventually settled near present-day Nihonbashi. There, he rebuilt the temple, giving rise to the Bishamonten Daishoji Temple we see today. In the years that followed, the temple flourished thanks to the patronage of wealthy merchants and local feudal lords. It became known as “Naga-machi no Bishamon-san,” a testament to its growing influence and importance within the community. Bishamonten Daishoji Temple houses a remarkable wooden statue of Bishamonten. This statue, crafted in the mid-Kamakura period, is a designated Important Cultural Property. The statue isn’t always on display. It is revealed to the public only twice a year, during special openings held on the second Sundays of May and November. Bishamonten, one of the Seven Lucky Gods, is revered as a warrior god and protector of those who listen. Interestingly, he’s also a guardian of families, as he has a wife, Kisshoten, and five children. The temple also displays a fragment of a one-ton bomb dropped by an American B-29 bomber during World War II. This stark reminder of the city’s resilience sits in quiet juxtaposition to the serene atmosphere of the temple grounds. Bishamonten Daishoji Temple stands as a symbol of Osaka’s enduring spirit. It’s a place where the echoes of the past mingle with the vibrant energy of the present, a testament to the power of faith and the resilience of the human spirit.