Obaku Exhibition at Manpukuji Bunkaden 黄檗山の名宝と河口慧海生誕152年記念・松本章男寄贈資料記念展

It was my great pleasure to attend the special Obaku Art Exhibition at Manpukuji Bunkaden 黄檗山の名宝と河口慧海生誕152年記念・松本章男寄贈資料記念展 which marked the 152th birthday of the Obaku monk-traveler Kawaguchi Ekai 河口慧海 and was supplemented by books donated by author and essayist Matsumoto Akio 松本章男. Although it was late, Tanaka Chisei 田中智誠 osho extended the exhibition for a week to allow me, Prof. Narusawa Katsushi 成澤勝嗣 and his students from Waseda University to see it. Many thanks to Tanaka san's guide and Ms. Yang Kuei-hsiang's 楊桂香 translation.

Special exhibition on Emperor Gomizunoo 後水尾天皇 at Furuta Oribe Art Museum 古田織部美術館

In June 2017, I visited a special exhibition on the influence of Furuta Oribe 古田織部 on Emperor Gomizunoo 後水尾天皇 and his wife at Furuta Oribe Art Museum 古田織部美術館. It is entitled "Oribe's Lingering Influence: Emperor Gomizunoo and Empress Tofukumonin" 織部の遺響～後水尾天皇と東福門院和子. The emperor married Tokugawa Hidetada's daughter Tokugawa Masako 徳川和子, also known as the Tōfuku mon-in 東福門院. The emperor was listed as Yinyuan's dharma heir through Yinyuan's Japanese disciple Ryukei Shosen 龍溪性潛 (1602-1670). I have discussions in my book Leaving for the Rising Sun. I also bought a ceramic tea cup made by Sasaki Jiro 佐々木二郎 from the museum.

Kongoji in Koyasan 天野山金剛寺

Photo by Jiang Wu

Photo by Jiang Wu

During our study tour in June 2017, we visited the Shingon temple Amanosan Kongoji 天野山金剛寺 to survey the location where a manuscript canon used to be stored. The temple has a long history and was founded by Emperor Shomu 聖武. It was said Kukai 空海 was trained here as well. The courtyard has a beautiful garden. About four thousand scrolls of manuscript texts are preserved and among them are rare copies. For a short review by OCHIAI Toshinori 落合俊典, see 日本の古寫經と中國佛教文獻 ― 天野山金剛寺藏平安後期寫 『優婆塞五戒經 の成立と流傳を巡って.

天野山金剛寺善本叢刊
Amanosan kongoji zenpon sokan
Author: 後藤昭雄監修. 後藤, 昭雄, 後藤, 昭雄, 仁木, 夏実 中川, 真弓 ; ; Akio Goto; Natsumi Niki; Mayumi Nakagawa
Publisher: 勉誠出版, Benseishuppan.

Photo by Jiang Wu

Photo by Jiang Wu

Jissō-in 実相院 and Emperor Gomizunoo 後水尾天皇

During our Kyoto tour in June 2017, we visited Jissō-in 実相院 in the Iwakura district. This is a small but beautiful temple with deep connection to the imperial household in early Edo period, especially with Emperor Gomizunoo 後水尾天皇 (Master Yinyuan's disciple and dharma heir) and his wife Tōfuku-mon'in 東福門院, formerly Tokugawa Masako (徳川和子, 1607–1678). I brought a replica of the Emperor's calligraphy. It was close to Iwakura Tomomi's old residence.

Here is a book on this place.
京都実相院門跡 /
Kyōto Jissōin Monzeki
Author: 編集宇野日出生. 宇野日出生, ; ; Hideo Uno; Jissōin (Kyoto, Japan); Kyōto-fu Kyōto Bunka Hakubutsukan,
Publisher: 思文閣出版, Kyōto-shi : Shibunkaku Shuppan, 2016.