Crowdfunding for Ashikaga City Forest Fire

*About the First Phase

With your help, we were able to reach our goal (31.28 million yen).

Thank you very much.

Thank you letters and returned goods will be sent out as soon as they are ready.

 If you donate by postal transfer, please contact us via the Contact Us page with your Kanji name and address.

*About the Second Phase

The target amount is 25 million yen. Currently, we expect to start the project in early 2023, but we are accepting donations at any time. We look forward to your continued support.

A forest fire in Ashikaga City on February 21, 2021 changed the situation of Bishamonten on Mt.

The flames that flared up in the adjacent Ryoukaidan Mountains grew closer and closer with each passing day.

Saishoji Temple, founded in the Nara period (710-794), has a long history of more than 1,275 years. The main hall was rebuilt 260 years ago after the hall was destroyed by lightning fires twice in the Muromachi and Edo periods.

This could be the third time they've burned down...

Despite the threat of the fire, we were able to evacuate as much as possible with the help of our neighbors who rushed to our aid despite the flames.

The main deity, Bishamonten, has never left the kitchen for 260 years.

The statue of Buddha, which had deteriorated over the years, had to be evacuated urgently amidst the flames, and some of the damage could not be fully prevented.

About a month after the disaster, a forest fire that was several hundred meters from the main hall was extinguished by the fire brigade and the Self-Defense Forces, and the hall was spared from destruction.

However, the restoration of the Gohonzon Tripitaka statue and cultural properties, which were partially damaged during its evacuation in addition to deterioration over the years, is required to restore the Gohonzon Bishamonten and various other Buddhist statues and cultural properties in order to further pass on the more than 1275 years of prayer history to future generations.

We sincerely hope that we will be able to achieve our goal without any evil in order to pass on to the future the history of prayer that has been passed down from generation to generation since the distant past.

Wooden Statue of Bishamonten (Designated Cultural Property of Tochigi Prefecture)

　　　Cost: 10-20 million yen (under consideration after estimate)

　　　Construction period (scheduled): Spring 2022 ~ March 2025

Wooden statue of Vajrapani 2 bodies (Ashikaga City Designated Cultural Properties)

　　　Fee：50,000,000 yen （Sanjido Kanuma City）※Restoration fee

　　　　　　4,101,000 yen (Ishikawa Corporation, Nikko City, Japan)
　　　　　　*Carry-in/out expenses

　　　Construction period (scheduled): February 2022 - June 2025

Wooden Bulletin Board Statue of the Heavenly Child

　　　Cost: 2~3 million yen (under consideration after estimate)

Wooden Statue of the Immovable King of Brightness

　　　Cost: approx. 2 million yen (under consideration after estimate)

Wooden statue of Sen'ei Priest

Emma Bungnagun

*Cultural properties designated by Tochigi Prefecture and Ashikaga City are applying for subsidies for restoration of cultural properties.

We will report the results of the application as soon as they are available.

Currently, there is no water service to the main hall of Oiwasan Bishamonten, and it is impossible to extinguish a fire if a fire breaks out in the hall in the future. Many people have expressed their desire to have fire extinguishing and disaster prevention equipment installed, so this project is being implemented.

1st term (February-April 2022) 25 million yen Subject: Gohonzon Bishamonten, Nioh statue, 1st year
2nd term (February-April 2023) 25 million yen Subject: Gohonzon Bishamonten Nioh statue, 2nd year
3rd term (Feb.-Apr. 2024) 25 million yen Subject: Zennoshi and Hyokkoten Doji, 3rd year of the Nioh statue
4th year (Feb.-Apr. 2025) 25 million yen Subject: Ema (votive tablet), votive plaque Fourth year of the Nioh statues

In view of the forest fire and the situation of the mountain, Mr. Tsutuya Chiba, President of Bunsei University of Arts and a cartoonist, has kindly donated a newly drawn picture of Bishamonten, the principal deity of the temple, and a tiger that serves him.

　We are pleased to present these drawings as postcards and ema (votive picture tablet) as gifts in return.

*We will send this return gift to those who have already donated in the past.

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of Tetsuya Chiba's ema (votive tablet)

Donation Online 5,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of Tetsuya Chiba's ema (votive tablet)

Egg cracker (with temple crest and tiger design)

Donation Online 10,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Tiger by Tetsuya Chiba, wooden or acrylic board

Original Incense Incense "Oiwasan Bishamonten

Donation Online 50,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Original Incense Incense "Oiwasan Bishamonten

Bishamonten ema by Tetsuya Chiba (wooden comb is made of acrylic plate)

Oiwa Spiritual Tree Gomafuda (small) Returned Prayer for the Buddhist memorial service

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Original incense "Oiwayama Bishamonten

Tiger by Tetsuya Chiba, wooden or acrylic board

Bishamonten ema by Tetsuya Chiba (wooden comb is made of acrylic plate)

Oiwa Spiritual Tree Gomafuda (middle) Returned Prayer for the Buddhist memorial service

Donation Online 300,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Original incense "Oiwayama Bishamonten

Tiger by Tetsuya Chiba, wooden or acrylic board

Bishamonten ema by Tetsuya Chiba (wooden comb is made of acrylic plate)

Oiwa Spiritual Tree Gomafuda (middle) Returned Prayer for the Buddhist memorial service

Name inscribed on a scroll and delivered to the womb of the Bishamonten statue of Gohonzon

Donation Online 500,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Original incense "Oiwayama Bishamonten

Tiger by Tetsuya Chiba, wooden or acrylic board

Bishamonten ema by Tetsuya Chiba (wooden comb is made of acrylic plate)

Oiwa Spiritual Tree Gomafuda (middle) Returned Prayer for the Buddhist memorial service

Name inscribed on a scroll and delivered to the womb of the Bishamonten statue of Gohonzon

buddha moved into the main hall (for those who wish to do so)

Donation Online 1,000,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Original incense "Oiwayama Bishamonten

Tiger by Tetsuya Chiba, wooden or acrylic board

Bishamonten ema by Tetsuya Chiba (wooden comb is made of acrylic plate)

Oiwa Spiritual Tree Gomafuda (middle) Returned Prayer for the Buddhist memorial service

Name inscribed on a scroll and delivered to the womb of the Bishamonten statue of Gohonzon

buddha moved into the main hall (for those who wish to do so)

buddha return from the main hall (for those who wish to do so)

Donation Online 2,000,000 Yen

Write your name in the dedication book and pray in the kitchen for perpetuity.

Letter of thanks

Bishamon turtle shell sticker

Postcard of an ema (votive picture of a horse) made by Tetsuya Chiba

Egg rice cracker (with temple crest and tiger picture)

Original incense "Oiwayama Bishamonten

Tiger by Tetsuya Chiba, wooden or acrylic board

Bishamonten ema by Tetsuya Chiba (wooden comb is made of acrylic plate)

Oiwa Spiritual Tree Gomafuda (middle) Returned Prayer for the Buddhist memorial service

Name inscribed on a scroll and delivered to the womb of the Bishamonten statue of Gohonzon

buddha moved into the main hall (for those who wish to do so)

buddha return from the main hall (for those who wish to do so)

Name on the building tag inside the "Zushi" (for those who wish)

Donation Online 3,000,000 Yen