Nichiren school of Buddhism in Kyoto and Rimpa

Broadly speaking, three "new" Buddhism schools were born in Kamakura period of 12th to 14th century. The first focused on Amitabha Buddha's western Pure Land, which was led by monks Honen, Shinran, and Ippen to seek salvation after the end of this world. The second focused the enlightenment by concentration and intuition, which was led by monks Eisai and Dogen to seek salvation in this world. Both were somehow supported or resisted by political establishments but did not directly challenge the political matters. But the third school of Nichiren school that put all the importance on Lotus Sutra and was led by monk Nichiren challenged the then shogunate of Kamakura Hojo family. Nichiren expressed that the country would face the existential peril unless adhered to the teaching of Lotus Sutra. Actually around that time Mongol empire attacked Japan twice in 1274 and 1281, both of which Japan repelled the Mongol with the help of the divine wind of untimely typhoons.

Nichiren school was established and expelled in Kyoto a couple of times because of its political inclination in Kamakura and Muromachi periods from 12th to 17th century. But the major figures of Rimpa artists seemed to be associated with this Buddhist school.

Family temple of Hon'ami Koetsu is Honpo-ji, while family temple of Ogata Korin and Ogata Kenzan is Myoken-ji, both of these temple belong to Nichiren school. And both temples are among this year's Winter Kyoto tour promotion.

Winter Kyoto tour promotion of 2015 with Rimpa 400th anniversary note

Honpo-ji specially displays the great nirvana paining by Hasegawa Tohaku during this winter period. The painting is huge and came with comical touch even though it was religious painting and also mourned the untimely death of his son. The other items on display include lacquer boxes by Koetsu. As usual photograph is not allowed for all of those items.

Koetsu designed garden of tomoe at Honpo-ji, 22-Feb-2015

Pagoda in Honpo-ji ground, 22-Feb-2015

A short walking distance from Honpo-ji and there stands Myoken-ji. The items on display includes paintings of Kano family as well as Korin.

This garden in Myoke-ji said to be designed after Korin's sliding door painting, 22-Feb-2015

Spot garden of bamboo in Myoken-ji, 22-Feb-2015

Tohaku and Sotatsu - Masterpieces outside of the museum

Kiyomizu-dera is perhaps the most touristy spot in Kyoto. Escape the area to the south for 20 minutes and there is the Kyoto National Museum. The building of this museum itself is worth a visit, and collections inside must be superb.

But within 5 minutes' walking distance of the Kyoto National Museum there exists two temples that house the masterpieces of the great Japanese painters.

Chichaku-in is the temple of Shingon Esoteric school of Buddhism. Somehow this temple houses the wall paintings of Hasegawa Tohaku and artists of his school. It is said that those paintings were housed in main buildings, but decay was becoming visible so that those are now housed in treasure hall equipped with temperature and humidity control. Also lighting is rather dim inside. Treasure house's four wall are fully occupied by wall painting, including painting of maples and painting of cherry trees. Those were made more than 400 years ago, when warring period of Japan was finally ending. The military leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the end of warring period was associated with this temple, who lost his son and mourned him at this temple. Taking photograph inside treasure house is prohibited. This temple is also well known for its garden, but luckily or unluckily there is some maintenance ongoing so no water in the garden, where water plays significant role in this garden. This kind of maintenance takes only once in decade(s). It is unlucky that I can not appreciate the garden, but it is lucky that I can see the garden devoid of water.

Red plum flower on Chishaku-in ground, 21-Feb-2015

Sliding door picture(not in treasure house), 21-Feb-2015

Sliding door picture(not in treasure house), 21-Feb-2015

Garden, which usually has water as key element, devoid of water, 21-Feb-2015

Just a short walk from Chishaku-in and opposite to the more famous Sanjusangen-do temple sits Yogen-in temple. Rather ironic thing is that this temple is closely associated with Tokugawa clan, which succeeded Toyotomi Hideyoshi and opened shogunate in modern day Tokyo. And four masterpieces by Tawaraya Sotatsu are on display. I don't remember but it is said that the Sotatsu's paintings housed in this temple are often used in art curriculum of elementary school and junior high school. These paintings are also about 400 year old, yet funny. Yes, funny, comical, cute, even strange may be the word that I feel for Sotatsu's painting of creatures real and imaginary. Paintings of white elephant is quite well known, which was depicted when there was no zoo with elephant in Kyoto. Painting of imaginary creature Ki-Rin is funny. Kirin is used by one of the biggest beer brewery in Japan as its company name. Kirin is well known in Japan as imaginary creature. But I first learned that actually Ki is male and Rin is female, and two body of Ki and Rin is depicted on flatly prepared cedar tree. Painting of imaginary creature Shishi lion is another feature. Those 3 sliding paintings of elephants, kirin, and lions are aligned on one spatial line, so that when one slide is opened then the painting in the distance becomes visible. This is the way to welcome the guest of Tokugawa clans. Again, taking photograph is prohibited.

Entrance of Yogen-in, with no human in sight. But inside 10 to 20 visitors. 21-Feb-2015

Rimpa - 400 years after

Kyoto tourist bureau seems to be busy selling the 400th anniversary of beginning of Rimpa school of Japanese painting. I think I first heard the term late last year or early this year.

But term Rimpa was coined only after 300 years of its birth, and term is still not so clear cut. It is usually considered that lineage encompasses of the 1st generation of Tawaraya Sotatsu and Hon'ami Koetsu in early 17th century Kyoto, the 2nd generation of Ogata Korin in early 18th century Kyoto, the 3rd generation of Sakai Hoitsu in early 19th century Edo(modern Tokyo), and continuing to this day. They are not family-run business, nor catering to the imperial court or shogun. They painted for merchant classes in Kyoto and later in Edo, and they chose Japanese theme as subject. They lived in different era so they had no direct contact, but they learned by first imitating the masterpieces of the bygone era, and recreating masterpieces with their own twist.

The era somehow overlapped with the other well known paintings of Ukiyo-e. Both Rimpa and Ukioyo-e were similar in its nature that they didn't serve the official matters of the imperial court or shogun. I hear that Rimpa and Ukiyo-e were rock'n roll kind of sort in their days.

I watched the short television program that the modern day Rimpa painting can be found at Enkou-ji temple in north east of Kyoto, and ventured there in the wet and cold winter day.

Enkou-ji is Zen temple from the early 17th century, and not outstanding among Kyoto's other famous tourist temples. But it could be jammed in autumn foliage season. But it is deserted in the winter day. It makes the perfect setting for Zen temple visit.

Honryutei dry landscape garden, 15-Feb-2015

Painting by Maruyama Oukyo, the realism painter from the late 18th century Kyoto, is housed in the building behind this Zen garden. The subject of the painting is bamboo forest inside the Enkou-ji premises.

Bamboo forest that Maruyama Oukyo might have got inspiration, 15-Feb-2015

Tomioka Tessai's painting from the late 19th century, 15-Feb-2015

Aside from paintings of Maruyama Oukyo and modern Rimpa painter Mr. Watanabe, painting of Tomioka Tessai is on display. But honestly I don't know much of painters. Just I feel that these are different from the European paintings, and nowadays I feel more at ease with these.

Modern Rimpa lineage titled four seasons of plants and flowers, 15-Feb-2015

The river design is reminiscent of Ogata Korin.

Modern Rimpa in close-up, 15-Feb-2015

The title is four season. I can see spring and autumn, but not sure of summer and winter. Anyway, it is splendid.

Flower - Plum

Kyoto Imperial Gardens that surround Kyoto Imperial Palace have a lot of greens, with a lot of flowers coming with them. Even the coldest month of the year ushers in some flowers.

Only in recent years I have come to appreciate the transient beauty of cherry blossoms like ordinary  Japanese, but that's all for flowers.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of Rinpa school of Japanese painting, which had blossomed mainly in Kyoto from late 16th century to 20th century. It is said that the influence of its lineage is second only to Kano school. One of the most important figures in Rinpa school is Ogata Korin, whose masterpieces include depiction of red and white plum blossoms(Japanese plum, to say exactly). Japanese painting has been alien to me, but I am trying them for two weeks. I like to take guide-interpreter qualification test. The qualification requires the understanding of Japanese history, including history of art. Just reading book is boring, so I tried what the great artist in the past might have appreciated. View the real blossoms in the real condition.

Here is winter sweet or rou-bai, in yellow. I had thought that there may be yellow plum but that is not the case.

Winter sweet or rou-bai in Kyoto Imperial Gardens, 08-Feb-2015

Plum blossom is expected from late February, but there are already some in early February in this year. In the modern days, flower viewing almost always means viewing of cherry blossoms, but in ancient times it was plum blossoms rather than cherry blossoms when noblemen talked about flower viewing.

Plum tree in Kyoto Imperial Gardens, 08-Feb-2015

Red plum blossoms in Kyoto Imperial Gardens, 08-Feb-2015

Esoteric Buddhism - snow covered Mount Koya

There is said to be 13 schools of Buddhism in Japan. All of these are categorized as Mahayana Buddhism, but each teachings are far apart from the other's. But I feel that two figures are transcendent beyond school boundary. One is Prince Shotoku in 6th to 7th century, who endeavored to introduce Buddhism by assimilating its teachings to indigenous beliefs of Shinto. The other is Kobo Daishi Kukai in 8th to 9th century, who travelled to Chang'an (modern day Xi'an in western China) to absorb the latest Buddhism and brought Esoteric Shingon Buddhism to Japan. There are numerous legend on him, and Shikoku 88 pilgrimage is just to trace Kukai's undertakings. He is said to be the master of calligraphy also, thus there is proverb that "even Kukai errs his brush stroke", which means even the master sometimes makes mistakes.

Kukai established Esoteric Buddhism training complex in Mount Koya in the early 8th century, and thus Mount Koya is commemorating 1200th anniversary in the coming years. Mount Koya in northern Wakayama prefecture is home to more than 100 temples even today. It is located in the altitude of 1000 meter, so snow fall could be observed in the winter. Friday was day off. I followed the weather forecast and dry snow was expected on Friday, so I went there to undertake unique experience even though I don't know how cold it could become. I had been there only once and it was in autumn.


Okuno-in:
In Okuno-in, Kukai is said to be still meditating. So there is no tomb for him, but there are numerous memorial monuments from the past, including famous samurais, monks, modern day corporate entities, and just anybody.

Path of Okuno-in, 06-Feb-2015

Jizo Bodhisattva in snow, 06-Feb-2015

Koya boy character welcomes visitors, 06-Feb-2015

Garan:
Japanese word Garan is derived from Sanskrit word os samgharama, which means a quiet and secluded place.

Western stupa on Garan ground, 06-Feb-2015

Great stupa on Garan ground, 06-Feb-2015

Eastern stupa on Garan gound, 06-Feb-2015

Snow falling on Garan ground, 06-Feb-2015

Kongo-bu-ji temple:
Kongo-bu-ji is the head temple of Esoteric Shingon Buddhism and Mount Koya.

Banryu-tei garden, 06-Feb-2015

Gate to Kongo-bu-ji temple, 06-Feb-2015

Zen - snow capped Kinkaku-ji

Significant snow fall was observed in the morning of Sunday February 1st in Kyoto. On this occasion, I went to see the snow capped Kinkaku-ji for the first time in my life. Actually I have been to that area quite often for half a decade, but my favorite is rock garden of Ryoan-ji and spacious and charge-free Ninna-ji, both of which are registered as UNESCO World heritage and in walking distance from Kinkaku-ji. At the opening time of 9 AM, there was a queue, but it was worth it.

Snow capped Golden Pavilion, 01-Feb-2015

Snow falling garden pond reminiscent of black and white drawing of Zen monk, 01-Feb-2015

Snow capped Golden Pavilion from the hill, 01-Feb-2015

Golden Pavilion has become so famous an image that people seems to forget that this is a Zen temple, belonging to Shokoku-ji branch of Rinzai school. Gold covered pavilion seems to be against to wabi-sabi aesthetic of Zen, but get rid of Golden Pavilion and its pond and garden has still quite a tranquil charm. There is also tea house preserved that entertained the emperor and nobility centuries ago. 

There were three shogunates in Japanese history. The first is Minamoto/Kamakura from the late 12th to the middle of 14th century. The second is Ashikaga/Muromachi from the middle of 14th to the late 16th century. The third is Tokugawa/Edo from the beginning of 17th to the late 19th century. The Golden Pavilion was constructed by the 3rd shogun of Ashikaga/Muromachi shogunate. 

Of the three shogunates, I used to think Muromachi era the least appealing. But now re-learning the history of tea, and various form of art and national psyche, Muromachi was an era that broadened the basis of preceding era and took them to the completing stage. Buddhism had been just for scholars and nobilities till 12th century. Pure land and Zen made them to the element of everyone's and everyday's life when nobilities gave up power to samurai. It seems ironic that emergence of samurai the fighter emancipated Buddhism to farmers and merchants. Of course it were monks that spearheaded the new schools of Kamakura Buddhism, but samurai the fighter adhered to Zen and farmers to Pure land.

Once I read D.T.Suzuki's book that said there is no boundary of subject and object. Every action in everyday life is mundane and sublime at the same time, thus there is no boundary between mundane and sublime. Visiting famous temple is sublime and mundane at the same time, and there is no boundary of religious practice and non religious practice. Every actions in life is religious and non religious at the same time. As there may be no boundary between gaudy and modest, so Kingaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji may be opposite and same at the same time. Confusing and confused.