Сэнсо-дзи: Древнейший буддийский храм Токио

Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan

, is an ancient Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest established temple, and one of its most significant. It is dedicated to Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion. Structures in the temple complex include the main hall, a five story pagoda and large gates. It is the most widely visited religious site in the world with over 30 million visitors annually. The temple was destroyed during a 10 March 1945 firebombing air raid on Tokyo during World War II. The main hall was rebuilt in the 1950s. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, the temple became independent after the war. Leading to it is Nakamise dōri street, containing many shops with traditional goods. Adjacent to the east of Sensō ji is the Asakusa Shrine of the Shinto religion.

The temple is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon (Avalokiteśvara). According to legend, a statue of the Kannon was found in the Sumida River in 628 AD by two fishermen, brothers Hinokuma Hamanari and Hinokuma Takenari. The chief of their village, Hajino Nakamoto, recognized the sanctity of the statue and enshrined it by remodeling his own house into a small temple in Asakusa so that the villagers could worship Kannon. The first temple was founded in 645 AD, which makes it the oldest established temple in Tokyo. In the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Ieyasu designated Sensō ji as tutelary temple of the Tokugawa clan. During World War II, the temple was destroyed during the 10 March 1945 firebombing air raid on Tokyo. The main hall was rebuilt in 1951–58 The Kaminarimon gate was rebuilt in 1960, the Hōzōmon gate in 1964, and the pagoda in 1973. The Nishinomiya Inari shrine was located within the precincts of Sensō ji and a torii identified the entry into the hallowed ground of the shrine. A bronze plaque on the gateway structure listed those who contributed to the construction of the torii, which was erected in 1727 (Kyōhō 12, 11th month). After the Meiji government ordered the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in 1868, the Inari shrine was moved to the grounds of the Asakusa Shrine, where it was destroyed in the 10 March 1945 firebombing.

Sensō ji is the focus of Tokyo's largest and most popular festival, Sanja Matsuri. This takes place over 3 to 4 days in late spring, and sees the surrounding streets closed to traffic from dawn until late evening. Dominating the entrance to the temple is the Kaminarimon or "Thunder Gate". This imposing Buddhist structure features a massive paper lantern dramatically painted in vivid red and black tones to suggest thunderclouds and lightning. Beyond the Kaminarimon is Nakamise dori with its shops, followed by the Hōzōmon or "Treasure House Gate", which provides the entrance to the inner complex. Within the precincts stand a stately five story pagoda and the main hall, devoted to Kannon. Many tourists, both Japanese and from abroad, visit Sensō ji every year. Catering to the visiting crowds, the surrounding area has many traditional shops and eating places that feature traditional dishes (hand made noodles, sushi, tempura, etc.). Nakamise Dori, the street leading from the Thunder Gate to the temple itself, is lined with small shops selling souvenirs ranging from fans, ukiyo e (woodblock prints), kimono and other robes, Buddhist scrolls, traditional sweets, to Godzilla toys, t shirts and mobile phone straps. These shops themselves are part of a living tradition of selling to pilgrims who walked to Sensō ji. Within the temple itself, and also at many places on its approach, there are o mikuji stalls. For a suggested donation of 100 yen, visitors may consult the oracle and divine answers to their questions. Querents shake labelled sticks from enclosed metal containers and read the corresponding answers they retrieve from one of 100 possible drawers. Within the temple is a quiet contemplative garden kept in the distinctive Japanese style.

The Kaminarimon (雷門) is the outer of two large entrance gates that ultimately lead to the Sensō ji (the inner being the Hōzōmon) in Asakusa. The gate, with its lantern and statues, is popular with tourists. It stands tall, wide and covers an area of The first gate was built in 941, but the current gate dates back to 1960, after the previous gate was destroyed in a fire in 1865.

The Kaminarimon was first built in 941 AD by Taira no Kinmasa, a military commander. It was originally located near Komagata, but it was reconstructed in its current location in 1635. This is believed to be when the gods of wind and thunder were first placed on the gate. The gate burnt to the ground in 1757 AD and again in 1865 AD. The Kaminarimon's current structure was dedicated in December 1960 AD .

Four statues are housed in the Kaminarimon, two in the front alcoves and two on the other side. On the front of the gate, the statues of the Shinto gods Fūjin and Raijin are displayed. Fūjin, the god of wind, is located on the east side of the gate, while Raijin, the god of thunder, is located on the west side. The original sculptures were severely damaged in the fire of 1865, with only the heads being saved, and the statues restored for the gate's 1960 reconstruction. Two additional statues stand on the reverse of the gate: the Buddhist god Tenryū on the east, and the goddess Kinryū on the west side. These were donated in 1978 to commemorate the 1350th anniversary of the first appearance of the bodhisattva Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) at Asakusa, which led to the founding of Sensō ji. The statues were carved by then 106 year old master sculptor Hirakushi Denchū. During festivals such as Sanja Matsuri, the lantern is collapsed to let tall objects pass through the gate. The characters 金龍山 (Kinryū zan) on the tablet above the lantern read from right to left and reference the Sensō ji.

The Hōzōmon (宝蔵門) is the inner of two large entrance gates that lead to the Sensō ji. It is a two story gate (nijūmon), and its second story houses many of the Sensō ji's treasures. The first story houses two statues, three lanterns and two large sandals. It stands tall, wide, and deep.

The Hōzōmon was first built in 942 AD by Taira no Kinmasa. Destroyed by fire in 1631, it was rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1636. It stood for 300 more years until it was once again burned down during the Tokyo air raids of 1945. In 1964, the present steel reinforced concrete structure was built with a donation of ¥150 million from Yonetarō Motoya.

Unlike the Kaminarimon, which houses four different statues, the Hōzōmon houses two guardian statues that are located on either side of the gate's south face. These tall statues represent Niō, the guardian deities of the Buddha.

The Nakamise dōri (仲見世通り) is a street on the approach to the temple. It is said to have come about in the early 18th century, when neighbors of Sensō ji were granted permission to set up shops on the approach to the temple. However, in May 1885 the government of Tokyo ordered all shop owners to leave. In December of that same year the area was reconstructed in Western style brick. During the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake many of the shops were destroyed, then rebuilt in 1925 using concrete, only to be destroyed again during the bombings of World War II. The street is approximately long and contains around 89 shops.