Iwate Prefectural Hiraizumi World Heritage Guidance Center

Chusonji zazen, sutra copying, and sermon experience

At an ancient temple founded 1150 years ago, you can step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and quietly look inside yourself through experiences such as zazen, copying sutras, and holding sermons. Calm the waves of emotion, unify your mind, look at yourself and improve yourself.

Muryokoin Ruins [World Heritage Site]

Muryoko-in Temple, built by the third generation Hidehira, is modeled after the Phoenix Hall at Uji Byodo-in Temple. Hidehira Temple was adjacent to the Garan Imperial Palace, where he lived. Most of the ruins have been turned into rice paddies, but the ruins of the pond, Nakajima, and temple foundation still remain. According to the results of the excavation survey conducted in 1955, it was a magnificent temple, with the axis of the temple running from east to west passing through the east gate, bridge, middle island, and bridge hall, and beyond which one could see Mt. Kinkeizan. It is known that

Dargakku Bishamon-do Hall

Even before Kiyohira settled in Hiraizumi, several temples had already been built in and around Hiraizumi. One of them is Saikoji Temple. According to the temple law, when Sakanoue Tamuramaro subdued Ezo, he built Bishamon-do Hall in imitation of Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera Temple in gratitude for the blessings of Bishamonten, and built 108 Tamonten statues following Kurama-dera Temple. It is said that it began when the shrine was dedicated to The circumstances surrounding Ezo and Tamuramaro have become the subject of many stories and folklore, and they also add color to the temple legends of Saikoji Temple. Bishamondo was destroyed by fire twice, and the current one was rebuilt in 1963.