Centuries whisper from the stones before you. We’re standing at Kaizoji Temple in Kamakura. It is a place where tranquility meets history.
Kaizoji Temple is known as the water temple. This serene Buddhist temple offers a retreat from the city’s hustle.
Kaizoji Temple was built in 1394 during the Muromachi Period. Most of Kamakura’s temples were built during the Kamakura Period. Kaizoji Temple is unique because it was constructed later. The Ashikaga Shogunate ruled Japan from Kyoto then. Kaizoji was once much larger with over ten structures. It rivaled even Kamakura’s most famous temples like Kenchoji.
Let’s talk about the temple’s history. Prince Munetaka ordered a temple built here in 1253. That original temple belonged to the Shingon sect. Nitta Yoshisada’s forces destroyed it in 1333. Ashikaga Ujimitsu ordered the temple rebuilt in 1394. Gennō Zenji became its founding priest.
Gennō Zenji was a remarkable figure. He invented a tool still used by Japanese carpenters today. It is called a gennō. This is a hammer with two flat faces.
Have you heard of the legend of Sesshōseki, the Killing Stone? Gennō Zenji played a role in that tale too. Emperor Toba suffered a mysterious illness. A sorceress named Tamamo-no-Mae was blamed. She transformed into a white fox and fled. The fox became a stone that killed anyone who touched it. Emperor Go-Fukakusa asked Gennō to exorcise the stone’s evil spirit. Gennō struck the stone with his staff. The stone broke into pieces. The spirit was finally at peace.
Notice the Ryūgoden, the main hall. It was rebuilt in 1925. This happened after the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923. The hall enshrines statues of Shaka Nyorai and an Eleven-Headed Kannon Bosatsu.
To the left of the entrance is Yakushi-dō Hall. It came from Jōchi-ji Temple in 1776. Inside is a wooden statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of Healing. He is flanked by Nikkō Bosatsu and Gakkō Bosatsu. Together they form the Yakushi Trinity.
The wooden image of Yakushi Nyorai is special. It is also known as Naki Yakushi or Weeping Yakushi. Legend says Kugai heard a child weeping behind the temple every night. The crying came from beneath a gravestone. Kugai chanted a sutra. The crying stopped. He found the head of Yakushi Nyorai when he opened the grave. Kugai carved a new statue to hold the head. You can still see this statue today.
Behind Ryūgoden, you can find a cliff. There are artificial caves called yagura here. These caves were used as graves. The third yagura has a torii gate. It holds a stone image of Ugajin, a Shinto deity. Ugajin is often depicted with a snake.
A narrow path leads to another yagura. This cave holds the Jūroku-no-i, the Sixteen Wells. Kōkai, the founder of the Shingon sect, is said to have dug them. Sixteen pools are in the cave. Each pool represents a Bosatsu.
Don’t miss Sokonuke-no-i, the Bottomless Well. It is one of Kamakura’s Ten Celebrated Wells. A lady from the Uesugi family dropped her bucket here. This incident inspired her to write a tanka poem. The Bottomless Well is the only legendary well in Kamakura that has not run dry.
Kaizoji Temple offers a tranquil experience. Take a moment to appreciate its beauty. Reflect on its rich history.