Enjoying Horyu-ji - Part 3: Autumn in Ikaruga and a Deep Dive into the To-in Garan

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It has been about 10 days, but I visited Horyu-ji for the first time in about five months.
During my first visit I had intended to take my time looking around, but I happened to meet a local volunteer guide. While it was great to have them explain things in detail, the pace was just too fast, and I was left with the regret of not being able to appreciate it properly. This time, I came back for a rematch.

Although my fractured hip hasn't fully healed yet, the pain in the affected area is gone, and it has recovered to the point where my right hip just feels a bit heavy. So, I participated while receiving care from my familiar travel companions and using a cane.

However, although it was sunny in the morning, the forecast for this day was unusually rainy.
The participating members were Chiko-san, Miko-san, and myself—a trio of the biggest 'sunny women' in our history buff group—so we decided to go ahead with high hopes that our 'sunny woman power' might miraculously keep the rain away.

Cosmos flowers, the three-story pagoda, and the original landscape of Nara

Just as we got off the highway and were about to arrive, Chiko-san said,
'The cosmos flowers behind Hokki-ji Temple are in full bloom right now. Shall we go take a look?'
Of course, there was no reason to object. We agreed with sparkling eyes, and while it was still sunny, we headed first to 'Hokki-ji Temple,' which we had also visited last time.

It is a masterpiece!!

On their own, cosmos flowers have thin stems and messy branches, giving them a somewhat unreliable appearance, but when they bloom in dense clusters, they truly transform into something magnificent.
Even the delicate flowers look like noble roses, and I couldn't help but let out a cry of admiration.

With the three-story pagoda of Hokki-ji in the background and the orange fruit of a persimmon tree peeking out on the right, isn't this a truly Nara-like landscape?

When we arrived, there were already many photographers busy taking so-called 'Instagrammable' photos.
However, seeing that almost all of them were elderly and there were hardly any families or young people, I wonder if Nara still has a somewhat plain image?

It was a hidden gem of a photo spot known only to those in the know.

Cosmos flowers are surprisingly strong

The Japanese name for cosmos is 'O-harushagiku,' and it is said to mean 'order,' 'decoration,' and 'beauty' in Greek.
There is also a theory that because the universe, where stars are aligned, is called 'cosmos,' this flower, with its petals clustered together, came to be called 'cosmos' as well.
It is native to Mexico, and it is said that an Italian first brought it to Japan from Mexico around 1876.

The blooming season is long, from late July to early December, and although it is an exotic species, it has now become an indispensable flower in the Japanese landscape, coloring the autumn.
　　　 　
Although the leaves are thin like lines and the stems are thin and look unreliable, they actually possess a tough 'suppleness' and do not fall over even when buffeted by strong winds.
They have the resilience to sprout roots from the middle of their stems and stand up again and again to bloom, a toughness you would never imagine from their delicate appearance.

おや？これって人生を生きる上でお手本にすべき性質では？

The flower language is 'maiden's sincerity,' 'love,' and 'gracefulness.'
Yet, 'their nature is tough.'
There are people like this, too, aren't there?
You can never judge flowers or people by their appearance.

I want to take a good look at the To-in Garan!

The mystery of the Yumedono

Once you step into the To-in Garan, you will find the octagonal 'Yumedono' (Hall of Dreams), which is the main hall of this area.
A major feature is the mysteriously shaped 'hoshu' (jewel) shining on top of the octagonal roof.
The principal image is the 'Guze Kannon' that I worshipped during a previous special viewing, but on this day, the doors of the shrine where it is housed were firmly closed, so I could not see it. However, there will be another special viewing soon, so I intend to visit again.

A Sacred Site of Prince Shotoku Worship

Although the exact year of its founding is unclear, it is estimated to be Tenpyo 11 (739).
This place once housed Prince Shotoku's Ikaruga Palace and was known as the "Uguimiya-oin."
However, after it was destroyed by Soga no Iruka, it fell into ruin. Later, the high priest Gyoshin initiated the construction of a temple to honor the Prince, and it became the birthplace of "Prince Shotoku worship" as a place to appease the Prince's spirit.

Why is it octagonal?

Because of its shape, it is also called the "Octagonal Hall" or "Hakkakudo," but why is it octagonal?
From ancient Chinese Feng Shui
Based on the concept of "Heaven is round, Earth is square"
From the sacred number "8"
Because it is a number considered to have special magical power and sacred meaning
To be able to worship the principal image from anywhere
Because the Guze Kannon, modeled after the Prince, can be worshipped from all directions

Why is it called the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams)?

There is a legend that when Prince Shotoku was writing a commentary on the Lotus Sutra, a golden figure appeared in his dream to impart teachings, and it has been called the "Yumedono" ever since.

The Edono (Picture Hall) and Shariden (Reliquary Hall)

Just to the north of the "Yumedono" are the "Edono" and "Shariden," separated by a central corridor.
"Shari" refers to the remains of the Buddha. This is where they are enshrined, hence the name "Shariden."

According to the picture-storytelling tradition of Shitenno-ji, when the Prince was two years old, he pressed his palms together and said "Namu...", and the Buddha's remains spilled out from between his hands.
It is a very unbelievable story, but it seems that all the legends regarding Prince Shotoku are quite embellished.

It is said that it is opened during the first three days of the New Year for the Shari-ko memorial service, but there is no information about the opening of the "Edono."
I heard there are sliding door paintings depicting the life of Prince Shotoku, and I would love to see them and compare them with the ones at Shitenno-ji.

またツッコミどころが多そう(笑)

Bustling with school trip students

It had been humid since the morning, and as the forecast predicted, it started to rain. While I was looking at the Yumedono from under the roof of the corridor, a group of high school girls arrived.

Girls are just so cute! (lol)

私には息子しかいないので、余計にそう思う！

So, my "Osaka auntie" personality came out again, and I asked,
"Where are you from?"
They replied, "From Hokkaido."
I immediately blurted out,
"Oh! I'd actually rather go there!"The way they smiled at that was just so cute.

I noticed many of them had fair skin, so I thought they might have come from the Tohoku region, but Hokkaido!
Wouldn't that be better for the younger generation?
When I asked, "Temple hopping in Nara is a bit plain, isn't it?" they clearly found it a bit funny and laughed again.

Lunch at "Fukokuen"
Feeling the end of the Edo period

For this lunch, I visited "Wa-cafe Fukokuen," located about 200 meters south of the To-in Garan.

The entrance and cafe area appear to be a relocated gate from Yodo Castle in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
Speaking of Yodo Castle, it is named after Yodo-dono, a concubine of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but that refers to the 'Old Yodo Castle,' and the current Yodo Castle ruins were built in the Edo period, located about 1 kilometer southwest of the original site.

This nagaya-mon gate likely belongs to the latter, but since there were 21 gates at the Yodo Castle of that time, it is unclear which one this is. However, the main gate of that castle has an episode associated with the defeat of the former Shogunate army during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi at the end of the Edo period.

The former Shogunate army believed the Yodo Domain was on their side and tried to flee into the castle, but the gates were firmly shut, and entry was resolutely refused.
The lord of the castle, Inaba Masakuni, was absent, and this decision was made by his senior retainers, the brothers Tanabe Ukyo and Harunosuke, who had decided to abandon the former Shogunate.

This episode suddenly came back to me, and even if this is not the gate from that time, looking at it filled me with deep emotion.
While 'betrayal' might sound harsh, it was an unavoidable choice for survival in that era of turmoil. The former Shogunate army must have felt immense regret, but for the Yodo Domain, it must have been a bitter decision made out of necessity.

This place, 'Fukokuen,' is the residence where Kitabatake Harufusa, one of the loyalist activists of the late Edo period who became a judicial official after the Meiji Restoration, lived in seclusion in his later years under the pseudonym 'Fukoku'.

It is a small but tranquil shop, and from the large glass windows, I enjoyed a delicious lunch featuring piping hot chicken tatsuta-age while looking out at the terrace with its tarp, the main house built by Harufusa, and the garden.

>>> To be continued

[Reference]
・Horyu-ji Temple
・Why did the creator make it octagonal?
・Shirobito
・Seasonal Flowers
・How to Walk Through Temples by Masao Yamada
・Let's Go to Old Temples: Horyu-ji

'Enjoying Horyu-ji Temple' Series
①Part 1 - Prologue
②Part 1 -To-in Garan
③Part 1 - Sai-in Garan
④Part 2 - Fujinoki Kofun
⑤Part 2 - Surrounding Temples
⑦Part 3 - Treasures and Seven Wonders
⑧Part 4 - Visiting Limited-Time Openings
⑨Part 4 - Horin-ji Temple and Chugu-ji Temple Ruins