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| Minobu |
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| the Footsteps of Nichiren Daishonin |
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| Minobu-san Kuon-ji (Minobu mountain Kuon temple) |
 Sammon |
 Hondo |
 Soshido, etc... |
 Goshinkotsudo |
| Kuon-ji (Kuon Temple) is the head temple of Nichiren-shu Minobu School,
on Minobu mountain, in Minobu, Minobu town, Nakakoma county, Yamanashi
prefecture, Japan. The formal name of this temple is "Minobu-san Myoho
Hokkein Kuon-ji". It was named "Kuon-ji"after Mido was newly
built on 24 November, 1281. This temple is known as a sightseeing spot
for Spring cherry blossoms and Autumn leaves. From Sammon to Hondo, there
is a extremely steep stairs (Bodaitei), a steep slope of Otokozaka (=Man
Slope), an easy slope of Onnazaka (=Woman Slope). And you can choose them
when you visit. You can go to the place that is closed to Hondo by taxi. On 17 May 1274, Nichiren arrived at a residence of HAKIRI Rokuro Sanenaga (=NAMBU Rokuro Sanenaga, who was the steward of the area and one of Nichiren's followers) in Minobu, surrounded by mountains. 17 June, Nichiren had lived at the Hut, donated by Sanenaga, in Nishiya, Minobu. It is the present "site of the Hut (Japanese: Gosoan-ato)". Nichiren Daishoin wrote many Gosho there. The previous location of Kuon-ji was in Nishiya (lower location than present Hondo). And it was moved to present location by Nitcho, who was the 11th high priest of Minobu school in 1474 (higher location than the site of the Hut). Nichiren had stayed in Minobu for 9 years, and he never went out of it before he left for Hitachi Province for the purpose of hot-spring cure. At this temple, they call Nichiren Daishonin "Nichiren Shonin" or "Nichiren Daibosatsu", etc... Sometimes they use the word of "Nichiren Daishonin". There are some strange things, worshiping "Mother of Demon Children", fortune slip, offertory box, and so on. They use wrong objects of worship at Minobu school. As well, they and souvenir shops sell that objects. It is, as it were, people could be happy if they pay much money. It means they flagrantly contradict Nichiren's teaching. They do NOT preserve Nichiren Daishonin's Golden Words, "I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart." (English Gosho P.412, Reply to Kyo'o). Regarding Honzon, Minobu school is absolutely confusing intermixed objects of worship. Visitors need admission fee at "Hobutsu-kan(Treasure Museum)" only. But there are few exibits about Nichiren in it. If you want to see Nichiren's exibits, Seicho-ji and Tanjo-ji (Birth Temple) (in Chiba prefecture) are worth while seeing. Because of a big fire in 1875, about 50 writings of Nichiren such as "On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land (Rissho Ankoku Ron)" and "The Opening of the Eyes" and "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude" and "The Selection of the Time" were burned. There is the "Goshinkotsudo (a cinerarium for Nichiren's ashes)" that Minobu school insists Nichiren's ashes is there. Actually Nichiren's ashes NOT in Minobu-san Kuon-ji, after leaving Minobu. In 1289 Nikko Shonin left Minobu, taking Nichiren's ashes with him. And Nichiren's ashes is now in Taiseki-ji of Nichiren Shoshu at the foot of Fuji mountain. Minobu school insists on good excuse that "the 2nd high priest is Niko (not Nikko) because of Nikko's Minobu leaving."
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| Okunoin Shishinkaku |
 Okunoin Shishinkaku |
 the statue of Nichiren Daishoinin |
 the statue of Shakyamuni |
 the view from East Side Observetion Deck (upper: Mt. Fuji) (lower: Fuji river) |
| Visitors can go to Okunoin by "Minobu-san Ropeway" from Kuon-ji
to Okunoin (for 7 minutes). Near Okunoin station, there is the East Side
Observation Deck. And the view from it is very good. Visitors can see Fuji
river (lower) and slightly Fuji mountain (upper). There are a stone statue
of Nichiren and a statue of Shakyamuni. The name of "Shishin" of Okunoin Shishinkaku means "thinking of parents" They say that Nichiren had thought of his parents and his master of Kiyosumi temple here. But Okunoin was NOT built by Nichiren.
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| About Nichiren Daishonin |
 the site of Hut (Gosoan-ato) |
From Kamakura to Minobu On February 1274, the shogunate issued a pardon for Nichiren (Sado Exile), and he returned to Kamakura the next month. On 8 April, Hei no Saemon summoned Nichiren and, in a deferential manner, asked his opinion regarding the impending Mongol invasion. Nichiren said that it would occur within the year and reiterated that this calamity was the result of slandering the correct teaching. On this occasion the shogunate offered to build him a large temple and establish him on an equal footing with all the other Buddhist schools, but Nichiren refused. He instead again refuted the errors of the shogunate. The shogunate continued its support of the True Word and other schools. Convinced that he had done all he could to warn the nation's leaders of their religious errors and of what would ensue as a result, Nichiren now turned his efforts to ensuring the correct transmission of his teachings to posterity. |
| He wrote a important document as "If a worthy man makes three attempts
to warn the rulers of the nation and they still refuse to heed his advice,
then he should retire to a mountain forest. This has been the custom from
ages past, and I have accordingly followed it." (English Gosho P.728,
On Repaying Debts of Gratitude) He never gave up all hope, and it was not
an escapism at all. As a result of consultation between Nikko Shonin and
HAKIRI Sanenaga, Nichiren was invited to Minobu. The HAKIRI family sometimes
went and backed between Kai Province and Kamakura. Nichiren left Kamakura
on 12 May, and went to take up residence at the foot of Mount Minobu in
Kai Province (present Minobu town, Minamikoma county, Yamanashi prefecture).
On 17 May 1274, Nichiren arrived at a residence of HAKIRI Rokuro Sanenaga
(=NAMBU Rokuro Sanenaga, who was the steward of the area and one of Nichiren's
followers) in Minobu, surrounded by mountains. 17 June, Daishonin had lived
at the Hut, donated by Sanenaga, in Nishiya, Minobu. It is the present
"site of the Hut". Nichiren had lived here for 9 years, and he
was busy at Minobu writing letters, training his disciples, and lecturing
on the Lotus Sutra. |
|
"Three Martyrs of Atsuhara" (Atsuhara Persecution) & Dai-Gohonzon
Inscribing Propagation efforts in the Fuji area began under the leadership of Nichiren's
disciple Nikko Shonin. At Ryusen-ji (gone at present), a temple of the
Tendai school (T'ien-t'ai school; Tendai-shu) in Atsuhara village (Atsuhara,
Fuji city, Shizuoka prefecture, at present), Nikko converted several of
the younger priests, who in turn converted a number of local farmers. Gyochi,
the Ryusen temple's (gone at present) deputy chief priest of Tendai-shu,
began to conspire with the authorities to threaten local believers and
kill.On 21 September 1279, The officers heard of Gyochi's scheme sent 20 farmer believers to Kamakura because of false charge, and the officers had them imprisoned and tortured at Hei no Semon's (the deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs) private residence. Hei no Saemon and officers renounced faith in the Lotus Sutra and agreed to recite the Nembutsu. None of believers complyed, and they continued to chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo". On 15 October, 3 of them were beheaded - the brothers "Jinshiro, Yagoro & Yarokuro (Three Martyrs of Atsuhara)". The other 17 were banished from Atsuhara. This incident is known as the "Atsuhara Persecution". Nichiren, seeing that his followers now had the strength to uphold their faith even at the cost of their lives, determined that the time had come to fulfill the ultimate purpose of his life. On 1 October he wrote "On Persecutions Befalling the Sage". On 12 October 1279, he inscribed the object of worship (known as the Dai-Gohonzon) and dedicated it for the attainment of Buddhahood by all humanity. The tomb of "Three Martyrs of Atsuhara" is located closed to ex-Shohondo at present. Naming of Kuon-ji However Nichiren's Hut became too old, and some pillars and walls were collapsed in 1277. Many disciples visited him. In 24 November 1281, Mido was built and this location was named "Kuon-ji". From Minobu to Ikegami  Subsequently Nichiren was confronted by illness and old age. He designated Nikko Shonin as his successor in "Minobu Transfer Docuent" dated September 1282. On 8 September 1282, he left Minobu at the urging of his followers to visit a hot spring in Hitachi province (present Ibaraki prefecture). On 18 September, he arrived at the residence of IKEGAMI Munenaka in Ikegami, Musashi province (present Ikegami, Ota city, Tokyo). He realized that his death was imminent, and many disciples met him in Ikegami. There he lectured for his disciples on "On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land (English Gosho P.6)", suffering from illness. Nichiren Daishonin's End On 8 October, beside his pillow, he named 6 senior priests (Nissho, Nichiro, Nikko [Nikko Shonin], Niko, Nitcho, Nichiji) and entrusted them with the responsibility for propagation after his death. Early on the morning, on 13 October, he had disciples came to him. And he appointed Nikko Shonin as the chief priest of Minobu-san Kuon-ji, directing all believers to follow him, on "Ikegami Transfer Document". He passed away around 8 a.m., during Daimoku of his disciples, both priests and laity. His age at death was 61. Around 8 p.m., on 14 October, he was laid out in the coffin. In the midnight, on 15 October, his remains was cremated into ashes. On 21 October, his disciples leave Ikegami for Minobu for his burial at Kuon-ji (His ashes is in Taiseki-ji at present). |
| "The Minobu Transfer Document" & "The Ikegami Transfer
Document" (Two Transfer Documents) |
| The Minobu Transfer Document I Nichiren, transfer all of the teachings
I have propagated throughout my life to Byakuren Ajari Nikko, who should be the
supreme leader for propagating true Buddhism. When the sovereign accepts this
Law, the high sanctuary of Hommon-ji temple should be erected at the foot of
Mount Fuji. Simply wait for the time to come. This is the actual high sanctuary
of true Buddhism. Above all, my disciples should observe this
document.
The ninth month of the fifth year of Koan (1282), cyclical sign mizunoe-uma.--Nichiren The order of heritage: from Nichiren to Nikko (Japanese Gosho: P.1600, English Gosho: None) The Ikegami Transfer Document I transfer Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings of fifty years to Byakuren Ajari
Nikko, who should become the chief priest of Minobu-san Kuon-ji temple.
Those priests and lay believers who disregard this will be slanderers of
the Law.
The thirteenth day of the tenth month in the fifth year of Koan (1282), cyclical sign mizunoe-uma At Ikegami Musashi Province Nichiren (Japanese Gosho P.1600, English Gosho: None) |
| Leaving Minobu |
| After Nichiren Daishonin's death After Nichiren's funeral, following Nichiren's will of "Two Transfer Document" ("Minobu Transfer Document" and "Ikegami Transfer Document"), Nikko Shonin brought Nichiren's ashes to Minobu and placed them in a tomb (Gobyosho). Nikko Shonin stayed there as a chief priest of Minobu-san Kuon-ji. On the hundredth day after Nichiren's death, he held a memorial service. At that time eighteen priests-the six senior priests and twelve of their disciples-assumed the responsibility of attending to the tomb (Gobyosho) in rotation, one of the six senior priests or two of his disciples watching over it each month. Slandering the Law by five senior priests  The five senior priests other than Nikko Shonin left for their respective areas. None of them returned to fulfill their commitment to attend to Nichiren's tomb. Under pressure from the authorities, they gradually began to disassociate themselves from Nichiren's teachings and worshiped images of Shakyamuni Buddha, declaring themselves to be priests of the Tendai school. On the other hand, HAKIRI Sanenaga, the steward of the area and one of Nichiren's followers, who was converted by Nikko Shonin, was pleased at first, because Nikko Shonin became the 2nd high priest. And Hakiri thought Nikko Shonin was the second coming person of Nichiren. But he began to left Nikko Shonin after he gradually know Niko (=MIMBU Niko) who acted like a person of Kamakura itself. Around 1285, Niko, one of the six senior priests, returned to Minobu. And Nikko Shonin appointed him the chief instructor of priests. As a result of his relationship with Niko, HAKIRI Sanenaga deviated from Nichiren's teachings by committing four acts Nichiren had forbidden as inappropriate for practitioners of the correct teaching: He commissioned a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, made pilgrimages to Shinto shrines, made donations for the construction of a stone tower of the Pure Land teaching in Fukushi Village, and had a Pure Land seminary built. Nikko Shonin repeatedly warned them that such acts flagrantly contradicted Nichiren's teachings, but to no avail. Resolving to leave Minobu mountain HAKIRI Sanenaga refused to accept Nikko Shonin's warning, and he abused "I am a disciple of Mimbu Ajari (Niko)", and "I am one of Nichiren's disciple, and senior priests are equal situations", etc... Thus Minobu mountain has become inappropriate place to preserve Nichiren's teachings, because of Niko's and Hakiri's actions. Nikko Shonin deeply worried about it, and he was compelled to leave Minobu for handing down the Nichiren's teaching, following Nichiren's teaching. The then Nikko Shonin's feelings were writen in "Reply to Hara". Moving to Taiseki-ji on Mt. Fuji In Spring of 1289, convinced that Minobu would not be the place to preserve Nichiren's teachings, Nikko Shonin and his disciples left. And they took the Dai-Gohonzon, Nichiren's ashes, and other treasures with them. He stayed for a while at the home of his maternal grandfather in Kawai of Fuji District, but soon moved to Nanjo Tokimitsu's estate at the latter's invitation. On 12 October 1290, Nikko Shonin built a temple called Dai-bo (Grand Lodging) on a tract of land "Oishi-ga-hara" donated by Tokimitsu. His disciples also established their lodging temples surrounding Dai-bo in the scenic place of Oishi-ga-hara against Fuji mountain. This was the origin of Taiseki-ji. The formal name of Taiseki-ji is "Taho Fuji Nichiren Kazan Taiseki-ji". At present, Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is practiced in 192 countries as a result of the efforts by Soka Gakkai. On the other hand, Minobu school had competely become a religion of contradicting Nichiren's teaching since Nikko Shonin left Minobu. |
| Access to Kuon-ji |
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| Trip on the Minobu line |
| The JR Minobu line is owned by JR Central (Central Japan Railway Company).
The distance between Fuji and Kofu on Minobu line is 88.4km. The top speed
is only 80km/h (Fuji = Nishi-fujinomiya, and Kajikazawaguchi = Kofu), and
it is slow. On most of this line, a train runs at 40-60km/h only, because
there are many curves. Runnning in mountain area, along Fuji river. It
is nice view between Nishi-fujinomiya and Kajikazawaguchi. Whether permitting,
you can see Fuji mountain between Fuji and Nishi-fujinomiya. It is almost the same time to the Minobu station; a train from Fuji , or a train from Kofu. The "Fujikawa" limited express run on the Minobu line, however, it never run fast. It is certain that the time on limited express train is shorter than local train, because limited express train does not stop many. If you prefer comfortable seat and cabin, the "Fujikawa" limited express train is better. If you prefer slow travel, a local train is better. Let's enjoy the Minobu line trip!
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