Guide to the precincts of Oiwasan Bishamonten

3 ken (frontage), 4 ken (depth), wooden structure with gabled gabled roof

In 745, Gyoki Bodhisattva founded the temple Oiwasan Bishamonten, also known as Oiwasan-Tamonin-Saishoji-Temple. The following year, at the request of Emperor Shomu, various halls, including the main temple, were built.

Since its opening in 745, the buildings of the temple have been repeatedly destroyed by fire due to lightning strikes and other causes, and then rebuilt.
In 1447, all the halls except Sanmon gate were destroyed by fire in a lightning storm in May. It was later rebuilt. In 1757, the main temple was again destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt in 1762.

The main temple was repaired three times in 1907, 1938, and 1993.

During the restoration of the main temple in 1993, an excavation survey was conducted in the lower part of the main temple, under the basement.
As a result, many historical materials were unearthed, including roof tiles dating back to the late Heian period.
In addition, tiles and other materials dating back to the Nara period were excavated from the area around the main temple and from the ruins of the Dabo, one of the Twelve Monasteries.

・What is Ema?

Ema are wooden plaques with pictures written on them that are dedicated to temples and shrines in thanksgiving for prayers and the fulfillment of one's heart's desire.

・Oiwasan Bishamonten and Ema

Oiwa Bishamonten boasts one of the largest number of ema dedications in the prefecture for a single shrine/temple. More than 130 ema and votive plaques are displayed inside the main temple.

Go to the page of ema in Oiwasan Bishamonten

The origin of Sanno Gongen Shrine is described in the legend of Oiwasan Bishamonten as follows.

In the reign of Emperor Shomu, Gyoki Shonin, while staying at Sugawara Temple in Yamato Province, always possessed a statue of Bishamonten made of Enbudakon (a type of gold) by Prince Shotoku, and vowed to go to the Kanto region to open a sacred site where he would enshrine this statue to save all sentient beings.
One night, an old man appears in a dream and tells him. Your prayer has been long in coming. There is a sacred mountain in Ashikaga, Kanto, and if you climb it, your prayers will be fulfilled. I am Sanno-gongen.
After awakening from his dream, Gyoki Shonin prayed three times and firmly vowed that when his wish was fulfilled, he would surely make Sanno-gongen the guardian of the entire mountain.
This is said to be the reason why Sanno-gongen is located in Oiwasan Bishamonten. In other words, Sanno-gongen appeared to Gyoki Bosatsu in his dream and showed him Mount Oiwa, and invited him to the land of Ashikaga.
The present Sanno-gongen-sha is said to be the oldest structure on Mt. Oiwa, built in the Momoyama Period. Due to damage, it was restored in 1977.

Sanno Gongen Shrine VR tour

On the west side of the main temple, Daikokuten-sha Shrine, Inari-jinja Shrine, and Nishinomiya-jingu Shrine are enshrined alongside Sanno-gongen-sha Shrine.

According to the legend of Oiwasan Bishamonten, Gyoki Bodhisattva founded Oiwasan Bishamonten in the 17th year of Tempyo (745), and then built the Sanmon gate at the request of Emperor Shomu.

3 ken (frontage), 2 ken (depth), hip-and-gable, shallow-tile roof, wood construction
The foundation stones are stacked in two layers, with granite used for the upper layer.
The existing gate was reconstructed in 1693 (Genroku 6) and 2005 (Heisei 17).

This gate is located at the bottom of the stone stairs leading up to the main temple (stone stairs of cultural property below) within the Bishamonten precincts.

Sanmon gate VR tour

A standing statue of Kongo-Rikishi (Statue of Nio), said to be by Unkei, is enshrined at the temple gate in the precincts of Oiwasan-Bishamonten.

As a commemorative project for the accendance of present emperor, we are restoring the statue of Kongo-Rikishi.

Go to Kongo-Rikishi Statues Restoration Project Page

According to the legend of Oiwasan-Bishamonten, Gyoki Bodhisattva founded Oiwasan Bishamonten in the 17th year of Tempyo (745), and then built the belfry hall at the request of Emperor Shomu.
During the Pacific War, the temple bell and crocodile entrance were offered to the government, so the crocodile entrance and the temple bell were dedicated in 1953, but due to damage, a new bell was dedicated, which continues to this day.

Bell Tower VR tour

This is the front approach up to the Bishamonten main temple from Sanmon gate. It is composed of steep slopes with granite Houbashira-shape hewn stones. The stones on both sides are piled up in a staircase shape, 17~19 cm high and 23~25 cm wide, with a height difference of about 7 meters and a width of 180 cm within the 40 steps.
The 40 steps are in good condition and have been well preserved. The inscription on the stone steps indicates that they were built in 1704 and the name of the owner.

Stone Stairs VR tour

It is said that if you visit Kano-Gongen, whatever you wish for will come true, and even today many people visit the shrine.
For those who have difficulty in visiting Kano-Gongen because it requires going down a mountain path, there is a branch shrine in the main temple of Bishamonten.

Go to Kano-Gongen page

The tree is 7 m in diameter, 29 meters high, with branches extending 16 meters east to west and 33 meters north to south, and is estimated to be approximately 600 years old, making it the largest cedar in Ashikaga City.
Most of the branches are bent downward, reminiscent of an upside-down cedar. It appears to have been struck by lightning, and part of the southwest face of the trunk has been split vertically from bottom to top, and the top has withered away. The bark is thick and has large vertical cracks, which is typical of an old tree. The tree is still vigorous and the leaves are young and green.

Sacred tree VR tour

A characteristic group of warm-temperate plants grow wild mainly on the slope behind the main temple of Bishamonten.
They include tall firs and Japanese white oaks, shrubs and sub-trees such as camellia, Japanese white ash, Japanese spindle tree, Japanese spruce, Japanese honeysuckle, Chinese fusilier, and Chinese fir, as well as ferns and yabukouji on the forest floor. Trees such as hakuunboku and mukuroji (planted), which are rare in the city, can also be seen.
Ashikaga is located at the northern limit of the warm-temperate zone, and there are only a few other places in the prefecture where the plant grows naturally, including the precincts of Gyodo-san Join-ji Temple, Saimyo-ji Temple in Mashiko, Ohirayama in Tochigi, and Karasawayama in Sano. This area is also considered valuable because it is an area where the plants are well preserved in their natural state.

Ashikaga City Website：【Ashikaga City Cultural Assets: Saishoji Temple warm-season plant native habitat】

Ahikaga City Website：【Ashikaga City Cultural Property: Oiwasan Stone Pagoda】

Stone Layered Pagoda VR tour

Slide animation of the precincts of Oiwasan Bishamonten

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Slide show of sanmon gate, stone stairs, sacred tree, bell tower, Sanno-gongen-sha shrine, Kano-gongen, and stone layered pagoda in the precincts of Oiwasan Bishamonten.