Chiba Prefecture Charms - Temples

Chiba Prefecture is replete with Buddhist temples. I’m not a Buddhist, but I gravitate to two schools - the esoteric Shingon and the salvific Nichiren version. The latter were founded by Nichiren, born in Kominato, a fishing village in modern Kamogawa City. The grandeur, serenity, and seasonal colour at these temples keep me coming back. Here are some I’ve visited (many on repeat!) and recommend to residents and travelers.

The Niyo statues at the gate of Konjoin Temple nestled in Shimizu Park are the entre to the horticultural wonders at this Shingon temple. The gardeners display peonies in thatched shelters in winter, nurture a golden lotus banana at its best in August, and it is sheltered by soaring ginkgo trees that turn sunny yellow in autumn.

Hondoji in Matsudo City is a Nichiren temple with a garden worth strolling in any time of year. I recommend seeing it in the rainy season, as it has a grove of 50,000 hydrangeas in many varieties. I recommend seeing it in June.

A small, quirky temple in Matsudo City is Manmanji. This Rinzai sect temple has a ritual that welcomes parishoners to squeeze into the space between the Niyo statues’ legs for blessings at the new year and the spring equinox. When I lived in the area, a highlight of my evening was listening for the ringing of the bell to mark the evening prayers.

A stunner in Tateyama City is Daijfuku-ji, known as Gakke Kannon, or the cliff-hugging Kannon temple. The geometry of the vermilion pillars, the ceiling with illuminated roundels, and the sea breeze are harmonious and intriguing.  

I was lured to Kamogawa City by the stories of Nichiren, the iconoclastic Buddhist thinker. He was born in the port village of Kominato, now part of Kamogawa City. Legend has it that a well gushed, tai fish teamed, and lotuses bloomed at his birth in this village. Tanjoji Temple is graced with statuary that depicts him as a child (a rare thing in Japan), intricate carvings of the sea’s bounty, and monumental roof tiles. A tourist attraction is the wild school of fish. 

You might think Narita is simply your portal to the world, but if you’ve got some time in transit, I recommend spending half a day at Shinshoji for the temple complex. The temple celebrates a victory over a hero or a villain, Taira no Masakado, who led a rebellion against the ancient capital of Kyoto. The temple is noted for its plum blossoms in early spring, the massive pagoda with images of Fudomyo, and goma fire rituals a few times a day.

There are more awe-inspiring and tranquil temples in Chiba Prefecture. Got a favorite? A place I missed but you think deserves a mention? Leave a comment.