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As Jigoku-do is getting popular as a sightseeing place, people tend to forget that Senkoji is a historical and sacred place with a pure, and calm beauty of Mizukake-Fudo san.
Whenever I see the statue, I feel as if he purify my soul even though I am not a religious person at all.
It was one of my pleasure to visit Senkoji-temple and threw water on Mizukake-Fudo san (the beautiful buddha statue covered by moss) in a beautiful pond with carps.
Mizukake-fudou san
Lovely carps.
Passing through by the pond of Mizukake Fudou, there is a tiny museum named ‘Tiny mon-and-pop candy store Museum’.
It always exhibits dioramas or miniature houses expressed Showa era atmosphere. Old advertising, masks of kids’ heroes, cheap sweets for kids of Showa make you feel like tripping to nostalgia.
http://kate-natsuniwa.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/medium-5.movBy the way, this is the entrance of Jigoku-do. I do not remember when I first noticed Jigoku-do standing there. But the first time I took my little son there to worship Fudo-san and went inside Jigoku-do, my son screamed when he say scary scenes of Hell with lots of Oni monsters and pictures of slaughter by Emma-Daio (the king of HEll who judges people’s sins and sends them to Hell).
Entrance to the Hell Hut
In front of Jigoku-do entrance, a test sheet is hung and judges whether you can go to heaven or hell.
Oh, yes. I’m always the person should be sent to Hell whenever I do this test. Only least introspective person can go to heaven, I think.
Going inside the hut, an old woman looked 70 years old or so was following me and started to pray with her hands clasped.
Oh, how earnest buddhist she was, I thought!
But behind me who was fascinated with the atmosphere of hell and their excellent art of sculptures, she suddenly started to make a phone call loudly.
Saying “I’m worshipping Senkoji-san, Hirano. Yeah it’s hot outside, isn’t it? Where are you now, why don’t you come right now? “
Loud! Nothing but loud. It was too annoying to stay there.
Ok, let’s get out. I saw them many times.
Anyway, let me introduce a little about inside it.
Assintant judges? Or dolls of Enma-Daio?
Enma-sam! When you beat the gong, the Hell is projected on the mirror.
Powerful looking of Oni!
Taste the hell by yourself.
And after regretting and changing your mind, let’s go to Gokuraku ( the land of Perfect Bliss).
Entrance of Hotoke no kuni (means the land of Buddha with Bliss)
Nirvana.
The image of dying Buddha. Let’s meditate!
mandala; Buddhist visual schema of the enlightened mind
My thought was calmed down.
Let us live without hurting others.
From now on live long lives and value your lives.
That is what the simplest Budda lesson from the Jigoku-do.
Well… I think it was much more scary before… It looks something milder but only I just think so? Even those times when I first saw Jigoku-do, I was already grown-up. So the reason why I think the present Jigoku-do is not fearful enough is not I was too young to see it.
Therefore, I searched Jigoku-do by Wiki.
Oh, I am right. It says that
Jigoku-do.
Originally when the person entered in the Jigoku-do, the door was closed automatically. Sometimes people got scared extremely, some screamed and some pushed the emergency button. So that nowadays the door is always open and not much scarey anymore.
Personally, I prefer the original Jigoku-do.
The scary sneces of Jigoku (hell) simply works kids as a decipine. ( I know threatening is not good way to learn behave. But those times in 1989 many youth going to suicide by the school bullying, then the lessons from Jigoku or Enma of old primitive thinking way was revaluated. )
Enma-dayo simply says ” Yes, the hell was fearful place so that you must live honestly in virtue caring others and value life”.