 | Description |  |
|
Koji means a lay Buddhist and this was a drill hall for kendo or Japanese fencing used by Yagyu (yah-gyu) school (Yagyu is the name of a famous sword-master family served as instructors for the Tokugawa Shogun during the Edo Period). Most notable among the Yagyus was Munenori {moo-neh-noh-re} Yagyu (1571-1646), one of the greatest swordsman in history, who served the Third Shogun Iemitsu Tokugawa (1604-1651), and won the favor of the Shogunate. (Incidentally, Rin'noji in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, was built for this Shogun). A devout Zen Buddhist, Munenori incorporated much of the Zen teachings into his treatise on swordsmanship. This was the reason why the building was relocated here in 1928 from Tokyo.
Enshrined in the center of the hall is a sedentary statue of Fudo (foo-doh) Myo-o or Acalanatha in Skt. The hall is open to the public for sit-in meditation every weekend with a fee of 3,000-yen per head. Also for students who wants to study and practice Zen, this hall offers a good opportunity. It is a six-day session held in early part of March, May and November, late August and December.
| More pictures | |
|
