The entrance of
Tō-ji
Kannon-bosatsu 観音菩薩 as seen through an opening from outside of the dining
hall.
The Tō-ji’s
five story pagoda.
In or near
temples affiliated to the Shingon-shū 真言宗 it is very
common to find depictions of Kōbō-daishi 弘法大師 (空海Kūkai), its legendary founder. This particular statuette is enshrined a
bronze stupa-like shrine.
A statue of Jizō-bosatsu
地蔵菩薩 adorned with a red bib and hat.
A shrine for San-men Daikoku-ten 三面大黒天 (Three-faced Mahākāla). Unfortunately, the shrine was closed at the time of
my visit, but usually San-men Daikoku-ten is depicted with his central head resembling
that of the regular Daikoku-ten, the left one resembling Benzai-ten 弁財天 and the right one resembling Bishmon-ten 毘沙門天. Visitors are encouraged to recite his mantra: “On ma ka kya ra ya so wa ka”.
The
Daishi-dō 大師堂 (the Great
Master Hall, the master being Kūkai) dedicated to Fudō-myōō 不動明王. On the left there is an altar to pray for Eastern
Japan’s recovery from the 2011 earthquake.
A
small statue of a Buddha or bodhisattva (most likely Jizō-bosatsu 地蔵菩薩) on the temple grounds. Apart from his red bib and headwear, the statue was given offerings
including a nectar drink, spicy nuts, shrimp-flavoured crisps etc. At his feet,
you can see a small singing bowl. If this is in fact Jizō-bosatsu, there is a
possibility that these offerings were presented to him by a devotee who has
lost a child.
