History/Culture

Ganjoujuin

Praying at a Temple for Victory in the Attack on Oshu - Five National Treasures Crafted by Unkei Enshrined at the Temple
In 1189, Hojo Masako built the Ganjoujuin temple to pray for Minamoto No Yoritomo’s attack on Oshu. It gradually started to become a Hojo Masako-like temple. The buildings were maintained by the second regent Hojo Yoshitoki and third regent Hojo Yasutoki, becoming a giant Jodo-style temple. The temple was lost due to war, but thanks to excavation and research it is clear where the Omido building, the south new Mido building, the south temple building and pond edge were located. The temple grounds are a designated national historical site.
There are many temple treasures here. This includes the statues created in 1186 by Unkei when he was in his 30s, like the Amida Nyorai (Amitabha), Bishamonten (Vaisravana), Fudo Myoo (Acala), Kongara Doji (Kimkara), and Seitaka Doji (Cetaka) statues with the accompanying womb plaques (all national treasures). There is also a Masako Jizo created on the 7th anniversary of Hojo Masako’s death and the Amida Nyorai in the main temple hall (designated a cultural treasure by the prefecture). In the temple grounds you can also find Hojo Tokimasa’s grave, Ashikaga Chachamaru’s grave, and the “Chachamaru neck-washing pond”.

The 5 national treasure Buddhas have pioneering designs which imply that they were sculptured in Unkei’s eastern Japan. They are very precious, as the date and creator (Unkei) can be determined from the plaques inside the wombs. You can appreciate Unkei’s magnificent talent looking at his work - the style is majestic and delicate. Amida Nyorai with realistic clothes and a dignified physique, Bishamonten’s dignified expression and balanced posture, Fudo Myoo’s grand expression, and Kongara Doji and Seitaka Doji’s contrast between stillness and motion etc. We recommend that you come here to worship and see it for yourself.

*The 5 Buddhas created by Unkei were designated as national treasures in February 2013.
The cultural assets subcommittee of the Council for Cultural Affairs deliberated and made the decision on February 27, 2013 to submit an approval application to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in order to give national treasure/important cultural property status to the Unkei created Buddha statues (wooden Amida Nyorai, wooden Fudo Myoo, Doji (2), wooden Bishamon, a total of 5 statues) which reside in Ganjoujuin in Jike, Izunokuni City. As a result, the Unkei Buddha statues in Ganjoujuin were given national treasure status, becoming the first in the “statue” category to gain this status in the Chubu region.