Is it possible that enlightenment could be found down a small lane? Perhaps. Welcome to Jotoku-in. It is also known as Shodokuin.
Jotoku-in is a temple in Kyoto. Its mountain name is Shojaku-san. The main deity here is Amida Nyorai. Jotoku-in belongs to the Jodo sect of Buddhism.
Let’s step back in time. Jotoku-in was founded in 1604. A person named Ginyo Shonin established it. The temple later gained support from Tsushima no Kami. He was a retainer of the Tokugawa family. This patronage helped Jotoku-in to expand. Its temple flourished.
However disaster struck in 1788. The Great Fire of Tenmei caused significant damage. The temple’s fortunes declined. But Jotoku-in was resilient. In 1988 the main hall was rebuilt. This was after many years of effort.
Jotoku-in has continued to develop since then. An Amida Sanzon Eitai Kuyo-bo was built. The Kito Kaikan hall was renovated. The cemetery was expanded. Even a pet memorial was established.
Now let’s talk about the main deity. According to the book Miyako Meisho Zue the Amida Nyorai statue was created by Ennin. He was Jikaku Daishi. It is said that the statue was a memorial for Genyori Kyo.
This Amida Nyorai is also called Kuro Honzon. Meaning black principal image. It is believed that Genyori Kyo always carried this statue with him. Once when he was shot at with an arrow the statue took the hit. Because of this the statue is called Yaoinyorai. Even now a hole resembling an arrow mark can be seen on its back.
The main hall you see today was rebuilt in 1988. It was rebuilt to look like the original. There is also a Kito Kaikan hall here. This hall hosts memorial services and meetings. It is also used for copying sutras.
The temple grounds also include a cemetery. It was expanded at the same time as the main hall was rebuilt. There is also a pet memorial here. It was built in 2004. It is dedicated to all living things. Jizo Bosatsu extends a hand to all creatures here.
Finally there is a garden. It is called Nijugo Bosatsu Raigo no Niwa. It was created by Yasuaki Ozawa. He was a disciple of Mirei Shigemori. The garden is a dry landscape garden. It uses stones and moss to represent Amida Nyorai. Twenty-five Bosatsu welcome people here.
Jotoku-in stands as a testament to faith. It is a place of peace. It has overcome fires and hardship. Today it welcomes all.