Anraku-ji

Anraku-ji: An Ancient Zen Sanctuary in Nagano

Anraku-ji is a significant Buddhist temple belonging to the Sōtō school, situated in Bessho Onsen, Ueda, within Nagano Prefecture, Japan. It holds the distinction of being the oldest Zen temple in the prefecture and is particularly noted for possessing the only extant octagonal pagoda in the entire country. The main hall, the hon-dō, is characterized by its thatched roof and houses a central image of Sakyamuni, flanked by Manjusri and Samantabhadra, as its principal object of veneration.

Historical Roots and Development

The precise origins of Anraku-ji are not definitively documented. The temple's own traditions suggest establishment either during the Tenpyō era (729–749 AD) by the monk Gyōki, or during the Tenchō era (824–834 AD) of the Heian period. Initially, it was affiliated with the Ritsu sect. The earliest verifiable mention of Anraku-ji in historical records appears during the Kamakura period. At this time, the temple underwent a transformation to the Zen sect, guided by a monk from Song China who arrived in Japan on the same vessel as the renowned Lanxi Daolong, the founder of Kenchō-ji in Kamakura. By the mid-13th century, Anraku-ji had emerged as a vital academic hub within Shinano Province, fostering the education of numerous priests with the crucial support of the influential Hōjō clan, until the clan's eventual overthrow in 1333.

Architectural Treasures and Cultural Assets

Anraku-ji is celebrated for its exceptional architectural heritage. The temple's three-storied pagoda is a singular marvel, being the sole octagonal pagoda that survives in Japan. Constructed in the Zen style towards the end of the Kamakura period, its lowest roof features a mokoshi pent roof enclosure, and the roofs themselves are clad in hinoki cypress shingles. The interior of the pagoda contains an octagonal Buddhist altar, which, along with the pagoda itself and a munafuda (ridge tag detailing construction information), was designated a National Treasure in 1952.

Further enriching the temple's collection are two wooden seated statues of priests, Enin and Isen, expertly crafted in 1329 by the carpenter Hyobu. These statues, notable for their high degree of realism, are enshrined in the Denpō-dō hall and have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. The temple also boasts a Kyōzō, a Buddhist library built after 1784 to house sutras copied by the priest Tetsugen. This structure, measuring 5.4 meters square with plastered walls and a copper roof, contains an octagonal revolving sutra shelf (rinzō), reputedly designed by the Great Teacher Fu. Both the Kyōzō building and the rinzō are recognized as Cultural Assets of Ueda City.

The bell tower (shōrō), erected in 1769, exemplifies a fusion of Zen and Japanese architectural styles. Its two-story design, featuring a hakamagoshi type lower storey resembling a skirt, makes it one of the largest in the vicinity. While the original Edo period bell was lost during World War II, the current bell was cast in 1957 by Katori Masahiko.

Beyond these prominent structures, Anraku-ji holds other significant artifacts. In 1693, local dignitaries commissioned statues mirroring those on the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage route to allow for the acquisition of merit without undertaking the arduous journey. Seven of these eighty-eight images are preserved at Anraku-ji. The temple also possesses a set of sixteen rakan (arhat) figures dating from the Edo period. A historical letter from Rankei Doryū to Shōkoku Isen, written in classical Chinese, testifies to their close relationship and is also held by the temple.