Sanjusangen-do Special Night Viewing
Rengeo-in Sanjusangen-do
The formal name of Sanjusangen-do is "Rengeo-in Sanjusangen-do." It is a Tendai sect temple located in Sanjusangendo-mawari-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto. At the end of the Heian period, the Hojuji-dono palace, built by Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa as his detached palace, stood on this site. In 1165, Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa ordered Taira no Kiyomori to build the Rengeo-in Main Hall, also known as Sanjusangen-do, in a corner of those vast grounds. Although it was later destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt in 1266.
The site of the Hojuji-dono palace, which once occupied vast grounds, contains the mausoleum of Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa (Go-Shirakawa Hojuji-ryo). Furthermore, this is the family temple of Machiko Hasegawa, the creator of the manga "Sazae-san," and it is said that a portion of her remains were interred here.
First time being held
This special night viewing of Sanjusangen-do, which has a history of about 800 years, is said to be the first time it has ever been held. The period is limited to three days: November 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Special viewing tickets are sold only on the day of the event. Sales begin at 16:30. The gates open at 17:00. I arrived just after 16:00, and there was already a long line on the east side.
I was able to purchase a ticket and enter the temple grounds just after 17:15. The sun had set at just the right time. Actually, this was my first time visiting Sanjusangen-do. It is quite something that my first visit was not during the day, but for this special night viewing, which is considered the first attempt in its 800-year history.
Photography is permitted
Sanjusangen-do itself is a building designated as a National Treasure. It is said to be the second oldest building in Rakuchu (the center of Kyoto) after Daihoon-ji (Senbon Shakado) Temple.
The shoji screens of the main hall's east garden are fully opened, and the standing statues of the Thousand-Armed Kannon, which are usually off-limits to photography, can be photographed during the special night viewing. There are 1,001 statues in total, including the principal image, the seated Thousand-Armed Kannon, and the standing statues. It seems that until a few years ago, some of the standing statues were located elsewhere, but they were returned in 2018.
The crowd around the main hall was incredible, so I tried taking a photo of the inside of the main hall from a distance using a telephoto lens. There are 500 standing statues of the Thousand-Armed Kannon on each side of the seated Thousand-Armed Kannon, all of which are life-sized. I was completely overwhelmed. I repeat, photography is usually prohibited.
The principal image, the seated Thousand-Armed Kannon, is in the center of the photo. The crowd in front of it was extraordinary, and it was almost impossible to get close.
The reason the central area was so crowded was that there was a Shomyo performance by monks starting at 17:30. Shomyo is a type of vocal music where monks chant sutras with melodic inflections. The beautiful singing voices echoed, and combined with the light illuminating the Thousand-Armed Kannon statues, the entire east garden was wrapped in an indescribable, solemn atmosphere.
Around 18:00, the people who had entered when the gates opened began to leave. There were more moments when the area around the main hall was empty, and I was finally able to take a wide-angle shot. I tilted the vari-angle LCD screen downward, held the camera as high as I could with both hands, and snapped the shutter in a trance. I hope this captures the atmosphere.
This was the first time Sanjusangen-do Temple held a special nighttime opening. I was very satisfied to have been able to spend such a precious time there. I was told that it is unknown when it will be held next.