Chionji (Hyakumanben)
京都府
Jodo head temple granted the title 'Hyakumanben' by Emperor Godaigo, famed for its 2-meter giant rosary ritual and Kyoto's largest craft market
Founded
1331
Type
Temple
Visited
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Access
About 10 min walk from Demachiyanagi Station (Keihan Railway); or right by Hyakumanben bus stop
103 Tanaka Monzen-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
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Overview
Chionji (Hyakumanben) is the head temple of the Jodo sect, named after the monk Zen-a Kuen's performance of one million nembutsu recitations to ward off plague in 1331, for which Emperor Godaigo granted it the title "Hyakumanben" (One Million Times). The Great Rosary Turning ceremony, in which worshippers sit in a circle and pass a giant rosary about 2 m in diameter, is a unique rite held on the 1…
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Origins
The origins of Chionji (Hyakumanben) date to the Kamakura period. In 1331, when plague swept through Kyoto, the Jodo-sect monk Zen-a Kuen is said to have performed one million nembutsu recitations to pray for the eradication of the epidemic. According to tradition, Emperor Godaigo, moved by the effi…
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Divine Benefits
Warding Off Evil
Purification
Rebirth in Pure Land
Averting disaster, directional protection, warding off epidemics. Central at Fudo, Kannon, and Gion-related sites.
Derived from the enshrined deity "釈迦如来"
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