Pix4Japan: Jisso Temple Gate

2025-04-08

Jisso Temple Gate

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Location: Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
Timestamp: 2025/04/08・07:10
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/8

If this scene speaks to you, prints and downloads are available:

・Order prints, digital downloads, or commercial licenses

・Explore gifts and merchandise

Location: Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
Timestamp: 2025/04/08・07:16
28 mm ISO 100 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/8

Symbols of Devotion: Exploring the Gate and Stone Monument at Jissō-ji Temple
実相寺の山門と法界塔：春の朝に見る仏教建築と信仰の象徴

The impressive temple gate in this photo is called a Sanmon (山門), the traditional main gate of many Japanese Buddhist temples. Standing just beyond the gate is a tall stone monument known as a Hōkaitō (法界塔), inscribed with sacred calligraphy.

The engravings on the monument read:

南無妙法蓮華経 (Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō) – This central phrase is a core mantra of Nichiren Buddhism. Often translated as “I devote myself to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra” or “Homage to the Sublime Dharma of the Lotus Sutra,” it is chanted as a spiritual practice to eradicate negative karma, reduce suffering, and guide the practitioner toward enlightenment.
法界塔 (Hōkaitō) – This refers to the stone tower itself. It serves both as a symbolic marker and a spiritual vessel, bearing the temple’s name and the powerful chant inscribed above.
大津山 (Otsuyama) – Located on the lower right of the stone, this part of the inscription refers to the mountain name traditionally associated with the temple.
實相寺 (Jissō-ji) – Found on the lower left, this is the formal name of the temple. Together with 大津山 (Otsuyama), it forms the full name: Otsuyama Jissō-ji (大津山實相寺), which is read right to left in the traditional Japanese writing style.

Captured on a peaceful spring morning in Yamanashi Prefecture, with cherry blossoms in bloom and the distant mountains dusted with snow, this scene embodies the tranquil beauty and spiritual depth of traditional Japanese Buddhist architecture.

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