Mōtsūji Temple: Site of the Jōgyōdō (Circumambulation Hall) and Hokkedō (Lotus Hall) 毛越寺 常行堂・法華堂跡
Official explanation
Mōtsūji Temple: Site of the Jōgyōdō (Circumambulation Hall) and Hokkedō (Lotus Hall)
Two square halls connected by a corridor once stood here, but are said to have been lost to fires in 1573. The Jōgyōdō Hall was to the south and the Hokkedō to the north. They were modeled after the linked Jōgyōdō and Hokkedō of Enryakuji Temple, the main Tendai monastery, near Kyoto.
Read the full explanation
Mōtsūji priests conducted prayers, rituals, and training practices of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, which focuses on the Lotus Sutra, in the two halls. Priests practiced a specific Tendai ritual called jōgyōdō-zanmai in the Jōgyōdō Hall. They would walk continually in a circle, often around an image of Amida Nyorai, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life. The practice of hokke-zanmai in the Lotus hall, as the name suggests, focused on contemplation of the Lotus Sutra.
Only foundation stones from the Hokkedō Hall can still be seen here in their original formation. Some of the foundation stones of the Jōgyōdō Hall are thought to have been used for the hall that was reconstructed in 1732. That hall stands just to the west of this site and is still used today for rituals and ceremonies.
出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.
旅Tōhoku tours
Live prices and reviews from GetYourGuide. Many tours can be cancelled for free — check each listing.
Ad: we may earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Getting there
Hotels in Iwate
Ad: we may earn a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.
More temples in Iwate
Open the scanner and compare →