Shichimen Daimyojin

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. Legends about Shichimen Daimyojin .
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Fudo Myo-O Gallery

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Shichimen Daimyojin 七面大明神

Shichimen Tennyo (七面天女) celestial nymph
Heavenly Lady from Mount Shichimen
Goddess Shichimen of Minobusan Kuon-ji

Shichimen Daibosatsu 七面大菩薩,
Shichimen Kannon

Shichimen Daimyojin is the guardian deity of Kuonji 久遠寺, the headquarters of Nichirenshu, which is in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Legend holds that a young lady, beautifully dressed, often appeared out of nowhere when Priest Nichiren was reciting the Lotus Sutra in Kuonji and she enthusiastically listened to his recitation. One day, the Priest asked her who she was. She said she was a celestial nymph living in a pond near Mt. Shichimen [next to Mount Minobu] and would like to get salvation from various sins and agonies through listening to his Lotus Sutra. But, Priest Nichiren had known who she was.

When Nichiren put a vase in front of her, her reflection on the vase revealed that she was a red dragon. Priest Nichiren instructed her to get back to the pond and to be a guardian deity of Kuonji. Hearing this, the red dragon went back to the pond. Ever since, she or the red dragon became a guardian deity of Kuonji, guarding at the southwestern corner (believed to be the rear Demon's Gate) of the temple.
source : www.asahi-net.or.jp



. Reference : 七面観音



. Nichiren, Saint Nichiren 日蓮 .
February 16, 1222 – October 13, 1282


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Carved by 瑞雲作
source : www.butsuzou.com

Her mother is Kichibojin が鬼子母神, her father Tokushaka 徳叉迦.

The ascent to Mount Shichimen, where she is said to live in a pond, was forbidden to ladies in former times. One concubine of Tokugawa Ieyasu, O-Man no Kata お万の方 (1548 - 1620) came to the White Waterfall 白糸の滝 at Mount Shichimen and continued her climb after ablutions in the waterfall. She was the first to climb the mountain, which has from then on been open to women pilgrims too.

One statue of a Kannon-version is at the
temple Shichimensan Keishin In 七面山敬慎院.




. Yoojuuin 養珠院 お万の方 Yoju-In O-Man no Kata .

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Shichimenzan, Shichimensan 七面山
Mount Shichimen
about 1989 meters high.
From there you have a good view to the sacred Mount Minobu of the Nichiren sect.


Shichimensan and Fujisan

Beginning the ascend from the temple Keishin In 七面山敬慎院, you can take a special bento lunchbox with you, prepared in the manner of vegetarian temple quisine,
shoojin bentoo　精進弁当.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !

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. WASHOKU : Vegetarian Temple Food
(shoojin ryoori 精進料理)


. WASHOKU - Yamanashi Prefecture (山梨県)


. Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩 　


Daruma Pilgrims in Japan
O-Fudo Sama Gallery

- #shichimen -
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Kanban Kenchiku

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Daruma Pilgrims Gallery

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Billboard architecture
看板建築 kanban kenchiku
signboard architecture



ISBN 4385412146, Sanseido, 1988


This naming goes back to the architect Fujimori Terunobu
藤森照信 (1946 - ), who wrote a famous book about it, published in 1988.

The whole flat front of a house was used as a "signboard" (kanban).
Also called "imitating Western Style Architecture" giyoofuu kenchiku 擬洋風建築.

Most of these builings have been constructed after the great Kanto Earthquake in 1932. The influence of Western architecture had been there, and townsfolk were looking for fireproof material.

Before the earthquake, shops used to have large and wide boards (dashigeta 出桁) between two housed to prevent flames from a neighbour home to leap over. These boards protruded into the road and were abolished when new homes along city roads were to be constructed.

So they would construct the front of the store cum living quarters 店舗兼住宅, facing the road, in a different material from the house hidden behind it. It is kind of a "potempkin village" (: Something that appears elaborate and impressive but in actual fact lacks substance).




Most often mortar モルタル was used, often grafted in patterns of Greek temples with impressive classical pillars and gables. Others had the look of Art Nouveau decorations. This draws heavily on the art of the shakansan 左官, the wall plasterers of Edo.





Others used copper plates and boards, which were quite shining when newly build, but put on patina over the years. The patterns of the copper tiles could be quite elaborate, since the craftsmen used old Edo patterns for the wall decorations. This took time to prepare, but rich shop owners found an outlet to show their individuality.

Some of these shops have been designated as important cultural property, under protection.






. Reference : 看板建築


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Town Houses of Kyoto, Kyoto Machiya 京都町屋

They are now being reconstructed as best as can.
Some are popular with foreigners, functioning as cheap lodgings.




. machiya tenugui 町家手拭
from the town houses of Kyoto 　
and some Daruma tenugui towels



. Kyoto Machiya Reference 　
traditionelle Stadthäuser



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. 岡本一銭屋 "Okamoto One Cent Store" 　
My visit to Yonago Town






. Kanban, Shop Signs, 看板 Kamban 　


. shakan 左官 plasterer, stucco master .


Daruma Pilgrims in Japan

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