Honganji West Annex in Yoshizaki

West Honganji Temple Annex in Fukui inspired by Rennyo

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Main entrance of Honganji West Annex in Yoshizaki. The stone monument says this is the place where the priest Rennyo once lived

This gate is called 'Nenriki (Psychic Powers) Mon (Gate)'. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the king of Japan, donated it to Nishi (West) Honganji Temple in Kyoto in 1591. In 1949, it was moved from Kyoto to this place by the hands of more than 100 congregation members, who placed the gate on 16 wooden carts and pulled them for nine long days, all the way from Kyoto to Fukui!

Looking at the temple grounds from Nenriki-mon Gate

Orange lilies under a pine tree, and the orange pillars of a temple building

Dolls depicting the legend of the 'terrorizing mother-in-law'. The mother-in-law, who wanted to stop her son's wife's Buddhist beliefs, tried to block the way leading to the temple by standing in the middle of the mountain path wearing a terrifying mask. Later, her mask didn't come off no matter how hard she tried. The daughter-in-law took her to Rennyo, who chanted a sutra, which miraculously detached the mask from her face

Another gate of Honganji West Annex in Yoshizaki

Looking up at the eaves of the main temple building

Gorgeous alter of the main temple building

Covered corridor of the main temple building

Buddhist drum hanging from the ceiling outside the main temple building

When I visited Yoshizaki Gobo Temple Ruins, I couldn't quite understand what it was. There are ruins on the mountain top, and two temples at the foot of it. And three of them all claim 'This is the place Rennyo resided and founded'. Rennyo was the eighth head monk of Honganji Temple in Kyoto. After it was destroyed by Enryakuji Temple, he came here and rebuilt it in 1471, but it was again destroyed in 1506. This temple, Honganji West Annex, was built centuries later, in 1746, and the adjacent Honganji East Annex was built in 1747. Well, let's say they are all connected to Honganji Temple and Rennyo, and pay more attention to other two things, the Nenriki-mon Gate, which was donated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1591, and the 'Terrorizing Mother-in-law' legend (please read the photo captions above).