Inome Window at Kyoto Buddhist Temple Brings Love and Fortune – Buddhistdoor Global

inome of the Shoju-in Buddhist temple. At shoujuin.boo.jp”/>

the inome window at Shoju-in Buddhist temple. At shoujuin.boo.jp

The Shoju-in Buddhist temple in the city of Ujitawara, Kyoto prefecture in Japan, was once known only for its Furin Matsuri wind chime festival, which the temple hosts every summer. But a recent architectural addition has created a surge in the temple’s popularity, especially among young Japanese women.

Shoju-in houses what has become one of Japan’s most popular windows: a heart-shaped opening that overlooks the temple grounds in the newly built reception hall. Since the feature was featured on social media as ‘the window that invites happiness’, traffic to the temple has more than doubled, with some 20,000 visitors making the trip to see the window over the year. last.

La fenêtre <i>inome</i> in Shoju-in in the spring. At shoujuin.boo.jp”/><figcaption>the <em>inome</em> window at Shoju-in in the spring. At shoujuin.boo.jp</figcaption></figure>
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<p>The window frames the temple garden’s pink cherry blossoms in spring, green branches in summer, and red, orange, and yellow maple leaves in fall. As the sun crosses the sky, a heart-shaped sunbeam crosses the floor of the reception hall, giving off a sense of romance. But the window has little to do with love; instead, it’s based on a 1,400-year-old architectural design meant to ward off evil spirits.</p>
<p>The window is modeled after the <em>inome</em> (猪目) or “boar’s eye”. the <em>inome</em> is believed to have been based on the shape of a boar’s eye around 1,400 years ago, and is often featured as a decorative symbol in Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, or on swords and spearheads.</p>
<div class= — Arrowhead with cherry blossom and “boar’s eye” pattern. At worcesterart.org

La fenêtre <i>inome</i> in Shoju-in in the fall. At shoujuin.boo.jp”/><figcaption>the <em>inome</em> window at Shoju-in in autumn. At shoujuin.boo.jp</figcaption></figure>
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<div class= — Arrowhead with cherry blossom and “boar’s eye” pattern. At worcesterart.org

The boar is traditionally associated with determination and honesty, which is reflected in the way a boar charges at its target without being distracted. It was a popular symbol for the samurai class, and over time it became associated with the warding off of misfortune and good fortune.

And the window indeed invited fortune to Shoju-in Temple. The resident monks are surprised but happy at the growing popularity of their house. As Daikan Kunomura, the termple’s assistant priest, says: “The window gave us an unexpected result. I guess divine direction brought us here. (Mainichi)

La fenêtre <i>inome</i> in Shoju-in in winter. At shoujuin.boo.jp”/><figcaption>the <em>inome</em> window at Shoju-in in winter. At shoujuin.boo.jp</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Shoju-in, founded around 800 years ago, is a temple of the Koyasan Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism. It houses a famous statue of the Buddhist protective deity Acala (“the Immovable”), which was made by Kaikei (快慶), a Japanese <em>busshi</em> (carver of Buddha statues) in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), and is designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government.</p>
<p>Seven years ago, the temple began hosting the Furin Matsuri Wind Chime Festival, where more than 1,000 wind chimes can be heard and admired. However, according to Kunomura, “far fewer than 10,000 devotees” would visit the temple each year, likely due to its relatively hard-to-reach location.</p>
<div class= — The Furin Matsuri Wind Chime Festival in Shoju-in. At shoujuin.boo.jp

The Furin Matsuri Wind Chime Festival in Shoju-in. At shoujuin.boo.jp

When the reception hall, used for various functions such as tea ceremonies, was added, one of the carpenters suggested adding the inome west-facing wall window. After the hall was completed in 2015, visitors quickly noticed the heart-shaped opening, sharing their photos on social media and sparking a whole new influx of visitors.

However, the heart-shaped window is not the only new feature of the temple that attracts attention. Crowning the chamber, the hall’s so-called “flower ceiling” features 160 decorative paintings of Japanese flowers and landscapes created by around 100 artists and art students, which can be admired lying on the traditional floor of the room. tatami carpet.

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