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ОглавлениеPART ONE
PILGRIMAGE
THE THIRTY-FOUR KANNON TEMPLES
No Buddhist deity in Japan has inspired such a wealth of artistic creation, religious tradition, and folk custom and belief as has Kannon (Kuan-yin in Chinese; Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit). The name is often translated Goddess of Mercy, but the deity may assume male or female form. In the Buddhist pantheon, Kannon is a bodhisattva (in Japanese, bosatsu), an enlightened being who has foregone Nirvana in order to remain on earth and help those who are suffering. The personification of infinite compassion, this bodhisattva will render aid to all who invoke the name Kannon, which literally means “hearer of cries.”
People have always adored, rather than revered, Kannon. When Japanese call on Kannon-sama (adding the honorific form of address), they feel a certain peace of mind. The image they associate with the deity may vary from an exquisite statue designated a National Treasure to a weathered bas-relief in a country lane. Worship may not be on a regular basis, and the worshiper’s exhortations may be for entirely selfish ends. However, it is understood that the Kannon’s compassion for human weakness and capacity to relieve suffering are infinite, and available to all who seek them.
To gain the help of the deity, a prayer while chanting the name Kannon will suffice. This simple form of Kannon worship spread rapidly after Buddhism reached Japan in the sixth century and was assimilated into the culture of the country. A pilgrimage is a more elaborate traditional form of Kannon worship. It began as a religious discipline of dedicated monks. Later, some emperors and nobles, weary of political strife and the strain that life imposed upon them, went on pilgrimages to seek spiritual fulfillment. Eventually, the journey became an end in itself—a quest for physical and mental well-being—and this had a synergistic effect in promoting the popularity of Kannon.
The first pilgrimage course was begun in western Japan by grouping together the famous Kannon temples of Hase-dera in Nara, Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, and Ishiyama-dera near Lake Biwa. Incorporating the worship places of ascetic monks in Kumano in southern Wakayama Prefecture, a course linking thirty-three temples was laid out around the twelfth century. The number thirty-three is significant because the sutras teach that Kannon can appear in thirty-three different forms. It was a long hazardous journey, and followers at this early stage would have been limited to certain privileged worshipers. Called the Saigoku sanjū-san reijō (Saigoku pilgrimage to thirty-three holy sites), it gradually began to attract public attention and flourished in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Today, it is held in high regard for the spiritual perseverance required to complete the trek. Spread over seven prefectures, beginning in Kumano and ending in Gifu, it takes almost ten days by car, or three to four weeks on foot and by car.
Soon after the foundation of the Kamakura shogunate in 1192, the course of a second pilgrimage was organized in the Kantō region. Its creation may have been supported by the third shogun, Sanetomo, who inherited his dedication to Kannon from his father Yoritomo, the founder of the shogunate. Beginning in Kamakura, the route winds about the Kantō plain and ends at the southern tip of Chiba, where Yoritomo had spent his youth in exile. The Asakusa Kannon temple in Tokyo is the thirteenth temple on this course. Called the Bandō sanjū-san reijō, (Bandō pilgrimage to thirty-three holy sites), after the old name of Kantō, the route was reasonably well known, but problems of access and geographical sequence prevented it from becoming as widely popular as the first course.
Nevertheless, the popularity of these pilgrimages led to the creation of miniature courses in many parts of the country. Farmers, who accounted for the vast majority of the population and who had time to spare in the off-season, became particularly enthusiastic pilgrims. Their participation contributed to the rapid growth of the pilgrimage courses; more than two hundred were created by the end of the Edo period in the mid-nineteenth century. Of these, the Chichibu course had natural advantages: it was close to Edo, the capital and main population center, and there was no checkpoint between the two places. In the eighteenth century, the Chichibu pilgrimage affirmed its importance by adding one more temple to its course, establishing a one-hundred-temple Kannon pilgrimage in the combined three large courses, the number conveying an image of perfection and completeness.
According to archives dating from the eighteenth century, the village of Tochiya in Chichibu, site of the first temple of the course, received 40,667 pilgrims between New Year’s and March 21 of 1750. The village of Shiroku, near Temple 30, accommodated 52,881 in the same period. Given the total population of 17,000, according to a 1786 census, in all sixteen villages of the Chichibu basin, the number of pilgrims reported is staggering. Villagers on the pilgrimage route often had to cater to the needs of visitors two to three times their own number. Local authorities, gravely concerned about maintenance of order in their areas, repeatedly issued warnings against unfair rates for transportation, overnight accommodations, and other services. Evidence of the popularity of pilgrimages all over Japan are also the innumerable stories of miracles and songs in praise of Kannon that were composed. In some villages, the Kannon pilgrimage was so important that it constituted a rite of passage for the villagers.
Westernization and modernization have inevitably led to a decline of old customs in Japan, including pilgrimages. In the 1950s and 1960s, moreover, the Japanese were too involved in rebuilding their war-devastated economy to pay much attention to their religious traditions. Many temples of the Chichibu pilgrimage fell into disuse and ruin. Recently, however, there has been a revival of interest in the course, and many pilgrims can be seen hiking from temple to temple, although the majority arrive in packaged bus tours. Harried by the pressure and competition of the modern urban lifestyle, people are turning to the warmth and comfort provided by the traditional faith in Kannon. Its simple but profound message of universal salvation holds great appeal to modern Japanese and will likely continue to sustain the popularity of the Chichibu pilgrimage.
In this book the pilgrimage course is divided into six itineraries, each manageable as a day walk of eight to ten miles. (Ways of getting to, from, and around Chichibu are introduced beginning on p. 17.) The use of a taxi or bus is recommended occasionally to eliminate overly long and less interesting hikes, but the true charm and significance of the pilgrimage lies in walking. The first three itineraries (Temples 1 through 25) will take you through somewhat urbanized areas in and around Chichibu City. In fair weather, you may hike in street clothes and comfortable walking shoes. The last three itineraries (Temples 26 through 34), wind through hilly terrain and require a little more advance preparation. Hiking boots and a rucksack with food, water, extra clothing, and rain gear are a good idea. You should not risk bad weather or darkness while on hiking courses.
Some pilgrims might find itineraries one through three a bit too long. However, these temples are convenient to public transportation, so itineraries may be abbreviated to one’s liking. Much of the course is fine for hiking with children, with itineraries shortened accordingly. Temples 1 through 4, 20 through 23, 26 through 28, or 31 or 32 individually, would make shorter and more manageable day trips. Although directions from temple to temple have been written as carefully as possible, everything changes—paths become paved roads, signs are put up and taken down, shops go out of business and new shops open. As you walk, stop occasionally to consult the maps. If you get lost, just ask. Chichibu people are friendly and will likely know what you are doing. For those who speak a little Japanese, the temple number will identify your destination: Yonban wa doko desu-ka? (Where is Temple 4?). Those who speak no Japanese can make use of the Finding List located at the back of the book. Simply point to the Japanese characters for your objective, smile, and look perplexed.
An added pleasure of the pilgrimage is collecting seals and calligraphic inscriptions at each temple as a memento of your journey. A book for collecting these, called a nōkyōchō, may be purchased at most temples, the price depending upon how fancy it is. A donation of ¥200 is expected for each temple seal and inscription. Inscription counters are generally open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but may close earlier in the winter. Although the central theme of this section is the pilgrimage, the description is more historical than religious, and is interspersed with anecdotes about the area and the people, as well as with many detours to places of interest unrelated to the pilgrimage, including museums, shops, restaurants, and Shinto shrines. The beginning of these detours is marked in the text with the symbol. ➩
A note on terminology: most Buddhist places of worship are called in Japanese tera, (or by alternate pronunciations of the same character, dera or ji), usually translated “temple.” Some others are called dō, meaning “hall.” Shinto places of worship are usually called jinja, translated “shrine.” In this text these terms appear as hyphenated suffixes; thus the reader will know immediately that Chichibu-jinja, or Chichibu Shrine, is a Shinto place of worship. Likewise, by convention, members of Buddhist religious orders are referred to as “monks,” while those of Shinto are referred to as “priests.” Another useful term to know is torii, the double-tiered archway that marks the entrance to Shinto shrines.
For those wishing to stay overnight, a number of ryokan (Japanese inns), minshuku (small, family-run lodgings), and hotels are available. A list of Accommodations in Chichibu, selected for convenience to pilgrimage routes and festival sites, is provided in the Appendixes. The numbers given for these facilities can be used to locate them on the maps. Reservations are recommended.
Good luck and enjoy your pilgrimage.
卍 Temples 1 through 9
Say Ichiban! (Number one!) to any taxi driver in Chichibu, and you will be whisked off to Temple 1 on the pilgrimage. (The thirty-four temples of the pilgrimage will generally be referred to by their numbers, rather than their more difficult-to-remember names). Taking a taxi to begin a religious pilgrimage might seem blasphemous, but it is certainly recommended for an easy and comfortable start. Or, you may take a bus bound for Sadamine-Minano 疋峰皆野 (towns to the northeast; from bus stand two) and get off at the village of Tochiya 栃谷. Take the fork just before the bus stop to the left and look for the green-roofed, red-painted building of Temple 1 on your left. The front entrance is on the corner ahead.
The temple’s name, SHIMABU-JI 四萬部寺, literally means Temple of Forty-Thousand Volumes, and derives from the legend of a medieval monk who supposedly read that number of sutras here at the behest of one of the legendary pioneers of the Chichibu pilgrimage. The entrance to the temple is marked by a low-roofed gate covered with senja-fuda (pilgrims’ votive cards) of wood and paper. The first Kannon hall of your pilgrimage is situated at the end of a stone-paved walkway with large stone lanterns on either side. Although not as elaborate as one might expect for the first temple on a centuries-old pilgrimage, the building, with its deep-green copper roof, is perfectly charming. Walk up and pray to the Kannon enshrined within.
The typical method of worship is to throw a coin into the offering box and ring a gong, if one is hung from the ceiling. This is to call the attention of Kannon and other deities concealed in the inner shrine. When praying to Kannon, you may wish for anything—safety during your pilgrimage, the well-being of your family, or the health of loved ones. The two most common entreaties made by Japanese on such occasions are for happiness in the family and for repose of the souls of deceased relatives. (Since this is a Buddhist temple, you should not clap your hands, a custom practiced at Shinto shrines.)
The fundamental Buddhist goal of attaining spiritual peace is very attractive to temple visitors. Japanese pilgrims thus often chant a short sutra, the Hannya shin-gyō 般若心経 (the Lesser Prajuna Paramita Hridaya Sutra). Written in approximately 265 Japanese characters, it is the essence of a several-hundred-volume sutra expounding Buddhist wisdom, and is chanted on many occasions, regardless of the sect to which the worshiper belongs. Commentaries published on this sutra continue to be steady best-sellers. However, it is perfectly all right to say nothing. The occasion merely calls for sincerity.
The Kannon hall of about thirty square meters was constructed in the late seventeenth century by a skilled Chichibu carpenter, and was modified in the mid-eighteenth century by an Edo craftsman. With intricate carvings decorating the transoms and gables, the architectural style of this temple set the standard for the other Kannon halls in Chichibu. The villagers are proud to have this temple in Tochiya and maintain it very well. They are also pleased that the large hall (to the right as you face the Kannon hall) is used for an important mass called segaki, which takes place in August (see p. l47). Next to this hall is a handsome, farmhouse-style building that serves as the living quarters for the monk and his family. A menacing devil mask can be seen on the roof, beneath which is a large tile with two characters reading ichiban. The building was originally designed to serve as a school for the community, and was built with funds donated by the villagers. Receiving the designation of number one was a crowning glory.
The part of the building on the left, as you face it, is used as a shop and inscription counter for pilgrims. Press the buzzer on the pillar if no one is around. (At some temples, a bell is used instead of a buzzer.) Rosaries, nōkyōchō (books for collecting temple seals and inscriptions), as well as complete pilgrim outfits may be purchased here. Some pilgrims collect temple seals on a scroll with an image of Kannon painted at the center, still others on a simple cotton vest called oizuru (or, oizuri), both of which are available here. Originally, seals and inscriptions served as acknowledgment of sutras chanted by pilgrims as offerings to the temple’s Kannon. However, nowadays it is permissible to omit the sutra and request that a seal and inscription be entered in your nōkyōchō for a small fee, an offering to Kannon. If you want to do your temple book, here is an important tip. To save on waiting time, submit your book (with the fee) upon arrival at each temple and pick it up as you depart.
A bronze statue placed before the Kannon hall to the left of the entrance was stolen and was missing for more than seventy years. It was subsequently found in a Tokyo antique shop and, with the support of publicly raised funds, was purchased and returned to the temple. As you leave, you will notice an attractive building outside the gate to its right. It is a minshuku (small inn) named Hatago Ichiban 旅籠一番, named after the Number One temple.
To reach Temple 2, take the narrow road across the street to the left of the minshuku. Follow the right fork to cross the bridge over the small river, and continue until you come to a small roadside shrine at a fork, with a stone marker for pilgrims to the left of the stairs. Throughout your pilgrimage, you should look for these old stone markers (some are indicated on the maps with a ◊) showing the direction to the next temple. Many were donated by dedicated pilgrims and monks to help others find their way. Temple 2 is located up in the mountains off to the left. If, however, conditions are unfavorable for hiking in woods, you may wish to opt for a faster alternative to Kōmyō-ji just for inscription in your temple book. If you turn right, you will return to the bus stop, from where you should walk straight for about twenty minutes. You will pass by two schools along the way and arrive at a bus stop for the entrance to Kōmyō-ji 光明寺 in front of a liquor and food store called ARAMASU on the left. Turn left and left again between two metal fences to reach the temple.
To follow the authentic pilgrimage road, take the left fork at the roadside shrine and continue your hike through the fields, crossing another road. Keep to the left. The road gradually ascends, and cedar woods replace terraced fields. It is not an easy climb; consider it an initiation into the discipline of the pilgrimage. After about twenty minutes the overhanging trees suddenly recede and a large square sign on the right says, “Temple 2 二番.” Do not turn here, however. Take the next path to the right to arrive at SHIMPUKU-JI 真福寺.
No one lives here. Calm prevails. In early spring plum and cherry trees are in full bloom against remote mountain ranges in a haze. In the valley below, clusters of farmhouses snuggle comfortably together. Originally built in the Edo period, the hilltop Kannon hall survived a fire at the end of the nineteenth century. The eaves are attractively carved, and the many senja-fuda left by pilgrims attest to the popularity of the hall. In the dim light through the narrow openings of the slatted doors one can see hundreds of stuffed-cloth dolls dangling from above. Called saru, these small figures are believed to have magical powers to dispel human suffering. Women living in the communities under the temple’s patronage make them as offerings to Kannon. The hall is dedicated to a Kannon statue rendered in the sixteenth-century style, but it is usually kept out of sight in an inner shrine.
For your inscription, you must visit Kōmyō-ji, which administers several temples in this area. From the Kannon hall, take the stone steps directly in front of the temple down the hill and follow the path first to the right and then immediately left as it descends. The concrete downhill road is quite steep at first and passes through some woods. Past two farmhouses on the left, the road curves, and a wooden post with a small red metal sign points the way to Kōmyō-ji 光明寺, to your right. Take the narrow path and you will see a large tree on the right, with a sign explaining that it is a five-hundred-year-old kin-mokusei, a kind of sweet olive that bears small flowers of intense sweet fragrance in late autumn. When the path joins the road, turn right. Continuing along the road for about ten minutes, you will cross two bridges. Bear right at the end of the second bridge. Soon you will pass a factory on your right, a two-storied, cream-colored building. Turn right between the metal fences and you will come to a stately new temple with a spacious garden. This is Kōmyō-ji. The inscription can be obtained in the building to the right of the main hall.
Leaving Kōmyō-ji, return to the road you came in on and turn right toward the crossroads, which is the bus stop for the entrance to Kōmyō-ji. Cross the busy main road, walk straight and turn left at the 丅 junction. Past a large hotel, Hotel Miyama ホテル美やま, on the other side of the river, cross a relatively large bridge off to the right of the road. This area in the valley of the Yokoze is one of the seven locations in Chichibu famous for mineral-water springs. Near here are several ryokan, including the now-Westernized Hotel Miyama, that feature mineral-water baths. They have been quite prosperous since the middle of the Edo period. From the bridge you can observe the excellent riverside location of Hotel Miyama, combined with the comforts of a modern hotel. Pilgrims should turn left after the bridge and follow the red arrows in simple wooden signs pointing to Temple 3 三番.
Located on a quiet hillside, Temple 3, JŌSEN-JI 常泉寺 harbors a simple, stately main building and an attractive Kannon hall to the left. The inscription may be obtained at the building to the right of the main hall as you face it. The small Kannon hall is elaborately decorated with intricate carvings of birds and dragons under a pointed copper roof. The curved beams under the roof of the front porch represent two dragons, one ascending and the other descending, providing a good example of art and function in one. The Kannon hall was originally built in the compound of Chichibu-jinja during the late Edo period, presumably with handsome donations from wealthy silk merchants. Shortly, the feudal age was terminated, and the Buddhist Kannon hall on the Shinto shrine premises was forced out in the wake of the enforced separation of Buddhism and Shintoism as part of the Meiji modernization program. The hall was thus moved here in 1870. A pond between the two buildings is bordered by irises, azaleas, and hydrangeas, providing in the summer vivid contrast to the surrounding green. A trail from the cemetery behind the Kannon hall leads up on your left to the top of the hill, where you can hike to the Chichibu Folk Museum. In the summer when the grasses grow over the path, the course may be a little hard to follow.
I recall what an old friend told me while pausing here on a visit. She said, “Some years ago, I was told that anger and hatred are counterproductive. One’s own feelings are ultimately reciprocated. If you dislike someone, that person will dislike you in return. It’s a vicious circle. Conversely a good circle can be established that will make you feel happier. I was fed up with my awful mother-in-law, but there was no way for me to break away from her. So I tried hard not to get irritated, but to feel more relaxed when I was with her. Her attitude began to change gradually and, although it took a great deal of time and patience, she is more appreciative of me now. It’s amazing how it works. My friends, too, have become kinder and more considerate. It is as if a good wind began to blow by believing in good and trying to make it happen.” Having known this person for years as a rather intellectual realist, I was surprised by her story. However, after she had cited many other examples of relationships changed for the better, I became convinced of her spiritual transformation, and I agreed with her statement that she was “riding a jet stream of good.”
When you are ready to leave, return to the riverside entrance to the temple. If you were to go right, you would come to Yamada Onsen 山田温泉, a Japanese inn with a barbecue lunch area in the compound. Backtrack to the large bridge and re-cross it. A foolproof route to the next temple is via the main road. However, to avoid the often heavy traffic, turn right immediately after the bridge and cross the smaller bridge. A narrow road curving to the left leads to a shrine called Tsunemochi-jinja 恒持神社. The shrine is usually very drab and quiet, but becomes lively on March 15, the day of its annual festival. The event is a harbinger of many spring festivals and attracts crowds. Three rustic floats, abundantly decked with pink paper flowers, are pulled through the neighborhoods. The festival also features a magnificent fireworks show at night.
Take the right turn by the shrine (before the main road) and walk straight ahead to a 丅 junction. Turning first right and immediately left, you will come to another ryokan, Araki Kōsen 新木鉱泉, on your right. Taking the next left turn will bring you back to the bus road. Cross it, turn right and then take the first left. On your right is a Canon Electronics parts factory, and farther ahead to your left you will see a large traditional house with an elaborately crafted tile roof. This is the home of a deceased political leader of Chichibu and a former member of the Diet. Wealthy people used to take pride in the design of their tiled roofs, especially the top ridge, as this was the portion of the house visible from a distance. Continuing along the road, which curves to the right, you will come to Temple 4, KINSHŌ-JI 金昌寺.
Featuring a large, eighteenth-century, two-story gate hung with a pair of enormous straw sandals, Kinshō-ji is the most popular of all the thirty-four temples of the Chichibu pilgrimage. A square stone pillar in front of the gate is inscribed with several Japanese characters written by Matsuda Kaiken, one of the finest calligraphers in Chichibu, who lives in this neighborhood. The people of Chichibu have a great fondness for calligraphy, and local masters of the art are often commissioned to write the names of community shrines or temples. It is a great honor for the calligrapher to have his work on permanent display.
The temple compound is filled with more than a thousand stone statues, some smiling, many in meditation, still others looking as if about to dance. You are supposed to be able to find at least one statue resembling someone you know. Carved out of soft sandstone and greatly eroded over two centuries, these statues continue to speak for their Edo-period donors, who sought the patronage of Kannon. Inscriptions on them reveal that many were offerings for the repose of the souls of the family dead.
Hiking up the gradually ascending path to the right you will find the most celebrated statue in the compound, that of a young mother nursing her baby. It is placed in front of the Kannon hall to the right (as you face it). This lovely pair rests on a pedestal in the shape of a lotus flower, a classical motif of Buddhist art. The inscription on the lotus petals says that a wealthy man from Edo donated it in 1792 to pray for the happiness of his ancestors. However, the sensual rendition of a young woman and her plump baby in such a relaxed stance is completely unlike any of the other figures in the compound, or even anything else from the same period. It is so much like a baroque sculpture of a Christian saint that people call it the Virgin Mary Kannon, crediting its creation to the Japanese Christians of the Edo period, a time when Christianity was banned by the shogunate. To avoid persecution, they created images of the Blessed Virgin in the style of Kannon, hiding in the work motifs of Christianity, such as a cross. This particular statue is said to reveal a cross when seen from above, and the stone relief of a frog on the back of the statue provides another bit of evidence, as the Japanese word for frog shares some syllables in common with the Japanese pronunciation of St. Michael. This temple is also administered by Kōmyō-ji, but the inscription can be obtained in the shop by the gate. At another building in the compound, simple dishes such as noodles are served.
If you wish to return to Seibu Chichibu Station from here, turn right when leaving the temple, returning to the main road you crossed earlier. To the left on this road is the Kinshō-ji bus stop, in front of a liquor store. Timetables for buses to three different designations are listed. The two left-hand columns give the time for buses to Seibu Chichibu Station 西武秩父駅, the farthest to the left for Mondays through Saturdays, the next column for Sundays and holidays. (You might wish to look at the timetable when you first cross this road after Araki Kōsen.)
If you elect to continue your pilgrimage, turn left after leaving Temple 4. At the fork, bear left and walk through the village of Yokoze, with Mt. Bukō watching over you. Many small silk spinning and weaving factories were located in Yokoze until shortly after World War II. It is said that silk farming and weaving were known in this area as early as the seventh century. A reminder of this old tradition is a small shrine dedicated to the goddess of weaving called Orihime-jinja 織姬神社. To visit it, turn left when you reach a 丅 intersection; the shrine is around the corner to the right. Notice the distinct Korean style of the buildings, suggesting the origin of the silk farming and spinning expertise transmitted by immigrants.
Continue along the main road, you will pass another Canon factory and a few weaving factories. The Kannon hall of Temple 5, CHOKO-JI 長興寺 is located right on this road. When you come to a crossroad with a large white signboard on a left corner, indicating the temple 長興寺経所, look to the far left for the red-roofed temple. The Kannon hall, however, lies ahead along the main road, with its rustic niō (guardian god) gate protected by red-and-white steel railings. Visit the Kannon hall first before going to the temple. Though most drivers rudely ignore it, the Kannon hall bears the romantic alias, Goka-dō 語歌堂, or Hall of Poetry. It is believed that the hall was donated by a wealthy man called Magohachi, who was inspired by the teachings of Jikaku Daishi, a famous ninth-century Buddhist saint. Magohachi happened to possess a Kannon statue by this saint and so built the temple to house and preserve it.
Magohachi was well schooled in classical poetry. Once he spent an entire night discussing the art of verse with a visiting stranger, who mysteriously vanished at dawn. Magohachi was puzzled, but later learned that the mysterious traveler was in fact an apparition of Prince Shōtoku, the early seventh-century regent of Japan and an ardent supporter of Buddhism. In commemoration of the miracle, Magohachi gave the hall this elegant name.
Apparently the hall fell into ruin after his death, and another legend tells how it was revived. It happened that a poor old woman who lived in the province of Shinshū (in present Nagano Prefecture) led a penurious existence with her only daughter, who suddenly disappeared one day. Half-crazed with grief, the old woman looked everywhere, praying to Kannon for help, but in vain. She crossed the mountains and came to the Chichibu area, but collapsed from the fatigue of the journey. Semiconscious, she thought she heard her name called and, opening her eyes, saw her daughter escorted by Kannon. In appreciation of the recovery of her beloved daughter, the woman worked to restore the abandoned hall to its former beauty. Although such stories may be dismissed as mere legends, they reflect the joys and sorrows, hopes and aspirations of the local people, and indicate some of the hardships involved in a pilgrimage.
The existing Goka-dō, dating from the late-Edo period, looks rather prosaic, with few design features other than the knobbed railings and the arrangement of the rafters. Some old hollowed trunks of wood can be seen to the left of the hall; these were formerly used as shells to launch rocket fireworks. At Temple 4, also, some of these hollow trunks are kept in a side section of the front gate. The people of Chichibu love fireworks and use them lavishly at festivals. They claim that formulas for gunpowder and shell-making were developed by medieval warriors from the region, who used them to send signals over mountains and forest, and that only later did these technologies find their way to Edo.
At Chōkōji, the inscription is done at a counter behind the slatted doors in the right-hand section of the temple building. Leaving the temple, backtrack a short distance and take the first small path on the left, leading straight away from the front of a house on the right with a nameplate 若林 on the gate. The footpath soon becomes a paved road through lush fields. Mt. Bukō beckons from the far distance.
This neighborhood is noted for its preservation of the traditional art of folk puppetry. Called Yokoze ningyō 横瀬人形, after the name of the area, the hand-puppet show retains an old style popular before Bunraku. It flourished in the days when entertainment was rare in rural villages. Each puppet is operated by one man, who uses his right hand for manipulating the puppet’s head and arms, and his left for moving the strings controlling the eyelids and mouth. The performance is given to sekkyōbushi 説教節 an old style of ballad, older than gidayū for Kabuki and Bunraku. Romantic stories of tragic love or adverse destiny, which originated from Buddhist sermons as the word, sekkyō, implies, are sung to a pathetic tune of the shamisen string instrument. The popular entertainment enthralled the masses in the seventeenth century and was transmitted to Chichibu by a musician from Edo on his way home from a visit to Mitsumine-jinja. The villagers adapted the performance style to their own taste by incorporating local dialect and erotic jokes. The vulgar style died out in Edo, but has been preserved in this area. Today, performances are given several times a year at local festivals or by special request for a fee.
At the end of the path, turn left and follow the road around the edge of the fenced-in sports grounds. This is where the village holds its autumn festival on the last Sunday of October, and where the puppet show is performed. Follow the road to the right; past the sports grounds, take the left uphill fork. As the steady ascent seems to somewhat level off, there will be, on the left of the road, a wooden signpost, painted brown and topped with a decoy kingfisher, pointing to the right for Temples 6, 7, and 9 and Yokoze Station 札所六•七•九 横瀬駅. Follow the sign. The town of Yokoze should be highly commended for their well-marked guide for visitors. You can count on with these wooden posts, which will lead you along the winding downhill, and almost at the bottom of the downhill, to the left to Temples 6 and 7. Past a farm on the left 川原田農園, where grapes and mushrooms may be picked for a fee in the season, the road will curve first to the right and then to the left. Still another sign will guide you straight ahead to the entrance to Temple 7, which is marked by a tall gray granite pillar inscribed with several kanji characters 青苔山法長禅寺. It stands on the right, across the road from a shop. It is perfectly acceptable, and more convenient if walking, to visit Temple 7 before Temple 6.
Temple 7, HŌCHŌ-JI 法長寺, has a large main building with beautiful white walls and bell-shaped windows. The spacious building is almost overwhelming and has large carved panels in the transoms. The panels illustrate a story related to the origin of Temple 86 on the Shikoku pilgrimage. The temple was founded to enshrine a statue of the Eleven-headed Kannon, and a jeweled ball was sent from China as an offering to the Kannon, but was snatched away by the Dragon King. A woman diver, praying for the Kannon’s protection, dived deep to the bottom of the sea and got the ball back, risking the King Dragon’s desperate chase, but died upon landing on the shore. The story was dramatized by Chikamatsu for a jōruri ballad and has also been adapted for Noh. The stone statue of a lying cow in front of the main hall represents a legend relating to this temple. The tale goes that a tenth-century warrior fled here after defeat in a battle only to die. However, when peace arrived, his wife happened to pass by this area and dreamed of her dead husband, who said that because of many sins he had committed as a man of sword, he had been turned into a cow and was having a hard life. Awake from the dream, she immediately became a nun to pray for the salvation of the poor man’s spirit.
Leaving the temple, retrace your steps to the granite pillar and turn right. At the next crossroad, make a sharp left. Continue straight ahead, passing a small shop on the right-hand corner of the next crossing. When you come to a fork in the road, go right, following the sign with a red arrow pointing to Temple 6, BOKU’UN-JI 卜雲寺. There will be a small stream on your right. As you come around a curve, a large stone lantern indicates the entrance to the temple a little off to the left.
Perched on a rather steep hill, this small temple commands a fine view of Mt. Bukō looming over fields studded with farmhouses. By now you may have developed a feeling of attachment to this mountain, which has been constantly visible during the walk. Not high or imposing, the mountain impresses the viewer with its strong, clear outline. Because its crisp form is usually clearly visible from a distance, local people have become quite emotionally involved with it. Chichibu farmers believed that the god of the mountain controlled the crops from there. The mountain was also regarded as a dwelling for the spirits of their ancestors.
Retrace your steps to the small shop, where you will turn left to go to Temple 8, SAIZEN-JI 西善寺. You will pass fruit orchards on the left, where one may pick strawberries in hot houses in January and February, and grapes in July and August. Cross the bridge over the Yokoze river and pass under a concrete highway bridge. Keep to the left and at an intersection with a grocery shop turn right, walking under the Seibu Railroad bridge. Soon after crossing a small bridge with black railings, you will find a signpost on the left, which points to Temple 8 札所八番西善寺 at the top of the short uphill.
As you walk up, a torii can be seen a short distance away on your left. Behind it is located Satomiya-jinja, which is the village base of a mountain-top shrine dedicated to the god of Mt. Bukō. On April 15 and October 1, both festival days, kagura shrine dances from the sixteenth century are performed to drum and flute music. At the crest of the hill a charming roofed gate marks the entrance to Saizen-ji situated on a lower ground. A magnificent five-hundred-year-old maple tree spreads its branches, exuberant foliage providing a comfortable shade to pilgrims after their long journey. Wearing a beautiful coat of moss, the tree promises splendid colors in the fall. The main building of the temple is decorated with carved and painted transoms depicting Confucian teachings of filial piety, enhanced by decorative motifs, such as lions and peonies, the crane and pine, chrysanthemums and waves. The inscription is given at another building on the right.
While you wait, notice a pair of stately stone lanterns placed in front of the main building. These have been moved from Zōjō-ji in Shiba, Tokyo, where they used to stand until 1964. Originally they were donated by daimyo lords as offerings on the occasions of memorial services for the Tokugawa shoguns who are buried at the temple. When Seibu Railroad Co. built the Tokyo Prince Hotel, part of the temple compound was included in the hotel premises, and about 600 stone and bronze lanterns needed to be disposed of. Seibu first moved some of them to a park in Higashi Murayama and then gave them to whichever temples in Chichibu were interested in having them. They are all inscribed with a three-leaf crest of the Tokugawas and characters to identify who gave when, to whom. For instance the left-hand lantern (as you face the main building) was given to the sixth shogun Ienobu, whose posthumous name is Bunshō-in 文昭院, in 1712 by Lord Fujiwara Yasukiyo 藤原安清; the right-hand one to the seventh shogun Ietsugu with a posthumous name, Yūshō-in 有章院, in 1716 by Lord Minamoto no Toshioki 源利意. Similar lanterns may be found at Temples 22, 23, 28, 29, and Seiun-ji.
Leaving the temple, walk back to the bridge with black railings and after crossing it, turn left according to the signpost at the fork for Temple 9 and Yokoze Station 札所九番 横瀬駅. After crossing another small bridge, bear right and then turn left, just in front of the elevated Seibu Railroad tracks. At the next intersection, the path continues to the other side of the road, leading toward an elevated highway. At the crest of the path, turn right and stay on the main road, keeping the railroad on your right. For several minutes you must endure the heavy traffic of dumping tracks which serve the two Mitsubishi companies on both your sides. Walking under the railroad tracks, you will arrive at an irregular junction of four streets. If you continue along the road you are on, you will arrive at Yokoze Station of Seibu Railroad. To visit the next temple, bear to the right, in the direction indicated by a brown sign 秩父札所九番明智寺 (a sharper right will take you to the cement factory). Keep to the right and you will soon come to a crossroad at which is situated Temple 9, AKECHI-JI. It is a small temple, which the villagers cooperate in maintaining. They have raised funds for replacing a run-down Kannon hall with the present one, an unusual hexagonal hall and square building.
The Kannon of this temple has a reputation for being especially kind to mothers and children. A festival on January 16, the day to pray for safe childbirth, attracts many female worshippers. This popularity is enhanced by a well-known legend associated with the temple, about a sixteenth-century boy and his blind mother. With no breadwinner in the family, the two lived a hard life, surviving on wild nuts and roots which the little boy gathered in forests. One day during his daily quest, he met an old monk, who taught him two lines of the Kannon sutra that he claimed were effective for healing blindness. The boy and his mother came to this temple and prayed all night to Kannon. At dawn, a dazzling star shone from the altar and touched her head. Miraculously, she opened her eyes and could see. The belief in the power of sincere prayers that this story teaches has been kept alive among villagers, who gather often to observe the various events of the temple calendar.
If you are finished for the day, you can reach Yokoze Station 横瀬駅 according to the signposts. The easiest way might be to backtrack to the irregular crossing and turn right. At the station, two timetables are shown on the wall in Japanese and English. The larger one is for the Red Arrow expresses, many of which stop at this small station. The schedule of local trains is shown above, either for going back to Seibu Chichibu, or, for Hannō where you should transfer to another train for Ikebukuro. You may also walk back to Seibu Chichibu via Route 299 in about 20 minutes.
Time and energy permitting, you may wish to visit two more temples (which will also reduce the remaining itinerary for those desiring to complete the entire pilgrimage). To do so, go left around Temple 9 to Route 299. Cross over to the pink and gray building, which houses the community center. Your direction is to the left. If you wish, a short visit at Yokoze Folk Museum 横瀬民俗博物館 behind the community center might be interesting to learn about life at the foot of Mt. Bukō.
➩ Exhibits include specimens to show amazing varieties of flora and fauna in Mt. Bukō as well as a collection of silk farming and weaving tools used by local farmers. There are also examples of the Yokoze ningyō puppets and a miniature model of the stage. Visitors will be first attracted by the real size replica of a shell for traditional fireworks and an antiquated, deep red inner shrine of the mountain-top sanctum dedicated to the god of Mt. Bukō.
After you cross Route 299 by the community center, turn left (or, coming from the museum, turn right along Route 299). Again, the hissing traffic is such a nuisance, but there is no alternative for the time being. You will pass an elementary school on the right and cross a small bridge. If you wish to spend the night in this neighborhood, there is a ryokan called Bukō-no-yu 武甲乃湯 located along the smaller road to the right of the school. Continue along the highway and, just before a Mitsubishi gas station on the left side of the road, turn right by a beauty parlor. At a four-road crossing with a large black-and-white sign indicating the nearby junior high school 横瀬中学校入ロ, turn left and walk straight. On the right of the road are seen high-voltage electricity towers. When the road meets a larger road, cross over to a smaller road which curves to the right. Keep to the left. The road will turn and lead to a small intersection, where a signpost stands, pointing to the left for Temple 10 札所 10 番. Follow the sign, and you will soon see an old Jizō statue meditating on a high pedestal.
| Suggested Itinerary | |
| 8:30 a.m. | Depart Ikebukuro Station via Red Arrow Express |
| 10:00 | Arrive Seibu Chichibu Station (E: 90 min.) |
| 10:30 | Arrive Temple 1 (E: 30 min.; S: 10 min.) |
| 11:20 | Arrive Temple 2 (E: 40 min.: S: 10 min.) |
| 11:50 | Arrive Kōmyō-ji (E: 20 min.; S: 10 min.) |
| 12:40 p.m. | Arrive Temple 3 (E: 40 min.; S: 10 min.) |
| 1:10 | Arrive Temple 4; lunch (E: 20 min.; S: 30 min.) |
| 2:00 | Arrive Temple 5 (E: 20 min.; S: 20 min.) |
| 2:50 | Arrive Temple 7 (E: 30 min.; S: 20 min.) |
| 3:20 | Arrive Temple 6 (E: 10 min.; S: 10 min.) |
| 3:50 | Arrive Temple 8 (E: 20 min.; S: 15 min.) |
| 4:30 | Arrive Temple 9 (E: 25 min.; S: 10 min.) |
| 4:50 | Arrive Yokoze Station (E: 10 min.) |
| 5:20 | Arrive Seibu Chichibu Station for return to Ikebukuro |
Note: E stands for time en route; S for stopover time. This first-day itinerary is very packed. Those who wish to complete it at a more relaxed pace should take the 7:30 a.m. Red Arrow for Ikebukuro Station. Or, you might wish to split it into two: Temples 1 through 4, and Temples 5 through 9 or 10. To start your day at Temple 5, take a taxi or ride the same bus as for Temple 1 to Goka-bashi 語歌橋; backtrack a short distance and turn left, and then right to come to the Kannon hall on your left (need to double-check). To go to Chōkōji, take the next right.
卍 Temples 10 through 18
Starting once again from Seibu chichibu Station, tell the taxi driver Jūban, in Chichibu meaning Temple 10. The taxi driver will stop at a large Jizō statue on a high pedestal. You could also take the bus for adamite-Milano (from bus stand two in front of Seibu Chichibu Station) and get off at Fukazawa 深沢. Backtrack a little and take the right fork to arrive at the statue of Jizō on a pedestal. Go up the steep stone stairway behind the statue and walk through the weathered, roofed gate of Temple 10, DAIJI-JI 大慈寺.
When I first visited Daiji-ji, an old woman in a house near the Jizō was sewing zabuton (floor cushion) covers. She told me that she made a cap and bib for Jizō on the last Sunday of February every year, so that he would be ready to meet the first wave of pilgrims in the spring. She also informed me that women in the neighborhood get together to sew saru (stringed, stuffed figures), every Year of the Horse (1990; 2002, and so on, in the twelve-year cycle of the Oriental zodiac). These are special years for the pilgrimage temples from the association of Kannon and the horse, and they open their inner shrines to visitors. (What they actually do is fix a large colorful rope between the inner shrine and the outer portico, so that pilgrims can hold one end of the rope and be symbolically joined with the Kannon inside.) The women used to hang the chains of saru from a Japanese umbrella to create a large decoration in the Kannon hall. Nowadays, traditional-style umbrellas are expensive and hard to find, so a plastic ring usually used to hang laundry is substituted.
Daiji-ji is a quiet, attractive temple that enjoys enthusiastic support from the neighborhood. The simple Zen-style building has sliding doors covered with senja-fuda, origami figures, sutras written on paper, and many other small items donated by pilgrims. Inside is a beautifully carved altar, where lighted candles are offered. On both sides of the altar hang silk banners decorated with gold and silver phoenixes. A gently worn, carved figure near the doors on the left is a god in folk belief called Obinzuru-sama, originally, an Indian saint Pindola. This saint is supposed to have saved many ill and suffering people with his medical knowledge and skill. Worshipers therefore rub the parts of the statue that correspond to their own ailments, praying for a cure. Wherever you see Obinzuru-sama, his statue is smooth and shining. Temple inscriptions may be obtained in the building on the right.
Bidding good-bye to the Jizō, turn to the right. At the traffic lights, bear right and walk some distance toward the large I intersection at Route 299 and turn right (the diagonal road to the right just before the 丅 is a shortcut.) On the hill the other side of Route 299 is Hitsujiyama Park. Continue about five hundred meters, hugging the hill on the right and passing two traffic lights. To the right just past the second light, half hidden behind a house, you will see a stone torii. A stone pillar to its left marks the entrance to Temple 11, JŌRAKUJI 常楽寺. From the entrance road, Chichibu City can be seen beyond a cement factory and Route 140 ahead. The well-cared-for Kannon temple was rebuilt in 1880 after the original edifice from the Edo period, complete with a front gate guarded by niō guardians, was lost to a fire. Deprived of its past glory, the modest temple continues to withstand heavy pollution from the mundane world below. Temple inscriptions may be obtained from the building just before the Kannon hall. If there is no one around, ring the small bell placed on a table there; or, call at the white building on the left, the monk’s living quarters.
➩ A trail winds upward through many vermilion torii and tall cedars. The red wooden gates and banners near them are offerings to Inari, a popular god in folk belief, a shrine to whom is located at the top of the hill. To the left of the shrine, a hiking path leads in the direction of the Chichibu Folk Museum 秩父市立民俗博物館. Though it is a pleasant half-hour walk, particularly in the spring when forsythia or dogwood are in bloom, it is in the opposite direction from that of the next temple, so it might be best visited at another time. However, it will be introduced here in the hope that readers can take time to see it some day.
Housed in a charming Meiji-period, Western-style building, the museum was originally built in 1885 with funds donated by the French Minister to Japan. The old wooden museum annex is also attractive; it was originally the Chichibu Railroad Station. The museum’s main displays are based on the collection of utensils and farming tools donated by the late Bonkai Tajima, the monk of Temple 14. Other materials on display reflect the life of prewar silk merchants, and the Chichibu Rebellion of 1884. (Open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed Mondays, days following national holidays, and New Year holidays.) The cemetery in front of the museum is planted with many plum and cherry trees. A path on its right side leads to Temple 3 through cedar woods.
Leaving Temple 11, backtrack to the traffic light, cross Route 299, bear left (not a sharp left) and walk straight. Cross a small stream and take the first left. Continue straight ahead, crossing several small intersections. You should come to a red-and-white “no entry” sign and curved traffic mirrors. Although your destination is straight ahead, on a fine day you might enjoy an alternative route to the left, through Hitsujiyama Park 羊山公園 on the hill. Another suggestion is a short detour to the right to visit a landmark of silk industry in Chichibu. If time or weather permits neither of these options, skip the next three paragraphs and keep walking straight.
➩ If you turn right, and right again at the second crossroad, you will soon find a charming tile-roofed building with porte-cochere, formerly a prefectural research institute for quality control of local silk industry. The institute was closed down in 1998 and will be reopened shortly as a history museum and workshop to commemorate the glorious tradition of Chichibu silk. The exhibition will feature, among others, meisen, a taffeta-like fabric and special product of Chichibu, which enjoyed large sales until the 1960s. Originally makeshift of reject fibers after the fine quality yarn was sold to merchants, the crisp fabric for daily kimono had won popularity since the eighteenth century. Demand increased dramatically in the early twentieth century owing to technical improvement to create reversible fabric with decorative designs, an accomplishment by ingenious Chichibu weavers. Japanese working women in prewar years all wore meisen kimono at the office, but their modern counterparts prefer suits.
➩ The left turn will guide you to the top of the hill. As you climb you will notice a small pond with a water wheel on your left. It was built recently in memory of Wakayama Bokusui 若山牧水, a poet who visited Chichibu in the early twentieth century when the area was humming with the silk industry. He composed a waka, a thirty-one syllable poem, describing the neighborhood, which has been inscribed in a stone by the pond. A sign at the crest of the winding ascent points to a natural history museum and Yamato Art Museum やまとア一トミュ一ゾアム, respectively. If you like, take a short detour to the left to see a small, but good collection of woodblock prints by Shikō Munakata 棟方志功 (open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed Tuesdays). Just before these museums, a bronze statue of a man in formal kimono stands on a high pedestal to honor a local businessman, Manzō Kakibara 柿原萬造, described later in this section (see p. 59). Your main direction is to the right. Past a row of red torii, you will find a blue-and-white sign proclaiming “Antioch Park,” reflecting a sister-cities relationship between Chichibu City and Antioch, California. Opposite the sign is the Hitsujiyama Center, where snacks and refreshments are served. Just past it the road forks out into two. To go to Temple 12, take the right path by a small shrine, which descends rather abruptly. Turn left at the bottom of the hill, passing a small cemetery on the left, and then take the railway underpass to the left. A beautifully plastered white wall will soon be seen, behind which is Temple 12.
The left path is the start of the Kotohira Hiking Course 琴平ハイキングコ一ス, a very pleasant two-hour walk, through wooded, slightly rugged, ridges to Iwai-dō 岩井常, a mountaintop inner shrine of Temple 26 (or three hours on to Temple 27 Daien-ji 大渕寺). Interested hikers should go right at the end of the parking lot (with a toilet attached), take the next right fork and turn left at the 丅 crossing at the bottom. Cross a brook to the left, make a U turn and ascend to the left at two small shrines. When the zigzag ascent peaks tentatively at a ridge, go left. In about an hour you will pass by a stone monument inscribed with an epitaph to commemorate a military drill in 1904 (during the Japan-Russo War) in the foothills of Mt. Bukō. Beyond it, a shrine with a torii facing Mt. Bukō is dedicated to Oyamazumi-no-kami, the guardian god of mountains. Many azaleas bloom in May around here. The trail winds to the left and leads to a flat area, the site of a legendary king’s residence and a good view spot. You will continue along the ridge, hugging the bottom of large rocks. The cinnabar-colored roof seen through woods ahead is of Iwai-dō, your destination, but you have to first climb up a steel ladder to the right and at the top, take a detour to the right for a quick visit to an ascetic monks’ disciplining post on a rock. The precariously built wooden skeleton somehow seems to be filled with dense fog of mysticism. Backtrack to the top of the ladder and go left all the way around rocks to reach the bottom of Iwai-dō on stilts. To return, descend with Iwai-dō on your back and take the stone steps dropping straight to the right. You will come out to a factory compound, where you should turn left and past the guards station, go right and immediately left. At a T crossing with a larger road, turn right and cross the railroads ahead on the left. At Kagemori Station 影森駅 off to the left of the railroads, buy a ticket to Ohanabatake 御花畑, one stop, and take a train leaving from track two. From Ohanabatake Station, walk back to Seibu Chichibu Station to return to Tokyo.
Pilgrims who continue straight from the crossing with the rea-and-white “no entry” sign will pass by a charming Jizō on a pedestal on the left. Notice the sun, moon, and old characters on the stone marker for pilgrims to the left of the Jizō. Around the corner to the left is the ryokan Hiyoshi 比与志, if you want to spend the night. If not, keep walking after passing under the bridge for the Seibu Railroad, and turn left at a white rectangular sign with kanji characters for Nosakaji 野坂寺. The weathered front gate of Temple 12 is seen ahead. (If you are beginning the second day with Temple 12, go right from Seibu Chichibu Station to reach Route 140. Cross it and turn right. Past the pedestrian bridge, turn left at the next traffic lights. Turn right at the 丅, passing under the Seibu Railroad tracks and look for the rectangular sign for Nosakaji.)
Entering through a charming two-story wooden gate, you walk into the well-tended compound of Temple 12, NOSAKA-JI 野坂寺. This temple basks in the sunshine, as well as in the favor of its worshippers. The large main building is very impressive. The monk’s living quarters to the left (where temple inscriptions may be obtained) is often busy with visitors. The well in the garden is known for good spring water filtered through rocks of the hill behind the temple, and many people come to draw the water. The water is the manifestation of Kannon’s blessings, and the reason for the temple’s location here, according to the abbot of this temple, Abbot Arai. An accomplished Zen priest trained at Nanzenji temple in Kyoto, he believes in irksome daily chores as a mental and moral discipline. He sweeps the garden himself after a morning service to the Kannon every morning at five. A tradition he has started here is the unique celebration of O-bon (see p. 148). On the evening of August 16, the last day of the festival of the dead, a tall tower of lighted paper lanterns is set up in the compound, with more lanterns hung on railings at its base. At 6:00 p.m. all the participants join the abbot in chanting the Hannya shin-gyō, praying that their ancestors’ spirits will return safely to the other world after a short stay with the living during O-bon. It is very touching to see hundreds of illuminated white lights shine softly in the darkness of night, as if relaying silent messages to the other world.
A temple legend tells of Kannon rescuing a traveler from bandits. Once a merchant from the Province of Kai (in present Yamanashi Prefecture) happened to pass the area and was assaulted by a group of armed robbers, who stripped him of his clothes and threatened to kill him. In despair the merchant prayed frantically to Kannon. Suddenly strong beams of light flashed from his amulet case and struck the eyes of the robbers. Dazzled by the light they all fled, except for their leader. Awe-struck and penitent, he vowed to become a follower of Kannon. Several years later, the merchant came back and found the former bandit living in a shack and dedicated to his religious discipline. Very impressed, the merchant had a temple built for him, which marks the founding of Nosaka-ji. The original location was at a place higher and deeper in the woods. As in the legend associated with Temple 9, a dazzling light is often emblematic of the power of Kannon.
From here, you will return via Seibu Chichibu Station to visit a group of temples that are spread throughout central Chichibu City. Leaving Nosaka-ji, walk straight to the T intersection and turn right. Walk under the railroad overpass and take the first left, which leads to Route 140, where you should turn right. Past several buildings on the right is Koike こいけ, the best soba noodle restaurant in Chichibu, housed in a simple yet tastefully decorated building. A wintertime specialty is yuzu (a kind of citron-flavored soba)—savory and perfectly al dente. (Open 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed on Wednesdays and second and third Tuesdays). For those who prefer a more familiar Western-style food, the adjacent Mon Chalét モンシヤレ一 is recommended for reasonably priced spaghetti and Hamburg steak. (Open 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; closed on the third Thursday). Beyond the pedestrian bridge, just before the GOHO supermarket on the right, you will find a traditional two-story building with a florist and a patchwork-crafts shop on the street. A staircase by the shop leads to a second-floor coffee shop, Mokutei 木亭. Local artists frequently visit this shop, attracted by the warm personality of the proprietor, Tsukagoshi-san, and his wife.
A man with a good sense of humor, Tsukagoshi-san is raising an absorbing question about the world-famous operetta, The Mikado. Pointing to its subtitle, “The Town of Titipu,” he wonders if “Titipu” is “Chichibu”—if by any chance Sir William Schwenck Gilbert, the librettist of the opera, was inspired by the name of Chichibu to set the location in that odd fairyland. Why not? The link between the two words makes sense phonetically. The opera premiered in London in 1885 when Japan was a hot topic in Britain after the American Navy ended the long isolation of the mysterious country. Londoners flocked to “Japan” in their city—the Japanese Exhibition which opened in Knightsbridge, featuring a full-scale native village complete with inhabitants in kimono. For authenticity, the D’Oyly Carte opera company asked the Japanese “villagers” to coach the cast on how to walk, dress and manipulate fans. The costumes were made from Japanese silk purchased at Liberty’s. British diplomats were precious sources of first-hand information. Gilbert and Sullivan were close to Sir Algernon B. F. Mitford, who wrote many books based on his posting in Japan from 1866 to 1870. Another diplomat, Sir Earnest Mason Satow, too, was a prolific writer. His well-read guidebook on Japan had been just revised in 1884 and made mention of Chichibu. Actually, this intriguing question on the possible link between Titipu and Chichibu had been brought up years ago by Rokusuke Ei, a popular Tokyo-based TV personality and essayist, but has tailed to attract attention in Chichibu. Mr. Ei believes, though no documented proof has yet been found, that the librettist must have been inspired by the farmers’ rebellion in Chichibu in 1884. The opera itself has not gained popularity in Japan due, mainly, to the cross-cultural difficulty of understanding satire. With moral support from Mr. Ei, Tsukagoshi-san and his friends are trying to hatch their dream—to produce The Mikado in Chichibu.
At the traffic light by GOHO, cross Route 140 and turn right down the diagonal road by the bicycle shop. You will come to the bus terminal in front of Seibu Chichibu Station. On your left is the Tourist Information Center.
The shopping mall in the station building is fun to browse through. All sorts of local cakes, vegetables, saké and wine are sold, as well as having restaurants and a yakitori stand. A stall around the middle of the arcade sells country-style dumplings called oyaki. The dumplings have several kinds of vegetable fillings; my favorite are nasu (eggplant) and yasai (chopped, pickled vegetables). At the far end of the passageway are some craft shops. Chichibu Tezukuri Kōbō 知知夫手づくりエ居 on the right sells fine handicrafts, all made by the people of Chichibu, using local materials. Some of the crafts are almost dying due to the scarcity of materials and the aging of craftsmen. Opposite from this is a fabric shop, where an automatic loom is set up to demonstrate the weaving of meisen silk textiles described earlier (p. 45). Restrooms are on the same side of the corridor, around the middle and near the fabric shop. From the end of the shopping mall a lane leads left to Ohanabatake Station, a local stop on the Chichibu Railroad. At the end of the lane, cross the road and turn left. Ohanabatake Station is seen on the right. Temple 13 is straight ahead of the railroad crossing.
If you go left just as you reach Ohanabatake Station and turn right at the T crossing, you are on the Bamba-dōri 番場通, the front approach to Chichibujinja. If you need to buy some food for lunch or sustenance along the way, a small inconspicuous shop ahead on the right of this road, called Matsumura 松村甘味食堂, sells delicious simple sushi and sweets, sold by the piece. On the left is a large supermarket, Belc. Beyond it the Japanese sweet shop, Tamaki-ya 玉木屋 sells chestnut-filled cakes and other elegantly packaged goodies.
To continue to Temple 13, however, cross the railroad tracks and go straight to arrive at a solid wooden gate on your right. Entering the temple, JIGAN-JI 慈眼寺, you will see the Kannon hall straight ahead of you. The two-story building to your left is the living quarters of the abbot’s family, where temple inscriptions may be obtained. A kindergarten is attached to the temple, and the spacious compound is often crowded with playing children. The walls and pillars of the Kannon hall are elaborately carved. Though the colors have faded over the years, the diverse designs and carving skill reflect the pride of wealthy silk merchants, many of whom lived in this city center area and who renovated this hall at the turn of the century.
Of the three side buildings on the right, the middle one is dedicated to Yakushi, the Buddhist god of medicine, who is often associated with the power to treat eye ailments. Wooden votive tablets hung in its front have a double hiragana character for “me め,” a homonym for the Japanese word “eye”, with one reversed so as to resemble human eyes. The temple is popularly called Ame Yakushi, or Candy Yakushi. At the annual fair on July 8, simple white candy mixed with black sesame is sold. It is believed that, if eaten, the candy will protect one from various eye troubles for the coming year. A local friend of mine makes and sells this candy. He sets up his stall at almost all major festivals in Chichibu to sell his hand-rolled sweets. When I once asked about the origin of the belief, he grinned and said, “You know, the ame of Ame Yakushi originally may not have meant ‘candy’ but ‘rain.’ It often rains at this time of the year, since it is still the rainy season. Farmers and woodcutters welcome the break in their routine that the rain brings and happily come to the fair to buy candy, which in the past was a bit of a luxury.” In December when the Night Festival begins, the candy man is transformed into a proud festival leader. Dressed in a weathered traditional costume, he struts about, giving orders to young community members. To him and many local people, festivals are not just celebrations, but an important part of their lives.
