Hokke Hakko and Hokke Zanmai Rituals
Date: Hokke Hakko is held when a new head of the Tendai school is appointed; Hokke Zanmai takes place in autumn in the years between
Hokke Hakko ritual at the main sanctuary of Usa Jingu Shrine
The Hokke Hakko and Hokke Zanmai are Buddhist rituals with a focus on the Lotus Sutra and its interpretation that are held at the Jogu (Upper Shrine) of Usa Jingu Shrine. The performance of Buddhist rituals at a Shinto shrine reflects the syncretic roots of Usa Jingu as a shrine-temple complex where a fusion of Shinto and Buddhist worship was once practiced. It also demonstrates the strong historic connection between Usa Jingu and the Tendai school of Buddhism.
Pagoda associated with Saicho
Throughout history, many prominent Buddhist monks made pilgrimages to Usa to pray to the deity Hachiman, including Saicho (Dengyo Daishi, 767–822), the founder of the Tendai school of Buddhism in Japan. In 803, Saicho departed for China to study the original Tiantai Buddhism, but his ship was damaged and he had to spend a year in Kyushu, waiting for the next opportunity to set sail. Saicho prayed to Hachiman for a safe voyage and arrived in China in 804, returning in 805. He revisited Usa to thank Hachiman for the divine protection and gave a sermon on the Lotus Sutra to the deity. According to legend, Hachiman bestowed the purple robes of an elite monk on Saicho as a reward.
To honor the connection between Saicho and Hachiman, when a new head of the Tendai school is appointed, he makes a pilgrimage to Usa Jingu with high-ranking monks for a special service called Hokke Hakko (“eight lectures on the Lotus Sutra”) that is held in front of the main sanctuary of the Jogu. A prayer by Shinto priests is followed by sanmon itto (“three questions and one answer”), a ritual dialog where three monks ask questions about Buddhist doctrine to a master, who replies with a sermon. Though the Hokke Hakko is largely conducted out of sight, visitors can observe the procession through the grounds and listen to the service from outside.
In the years between Hokke Hakko rituals, a smaller-scale version called Hokke Zanmai (“meditations on the Lotus Sutra”) is led by monks from Rokugo Manzan temples, who come to Usa Jingu from the neighboring Kunisaki Peninsula.
Procession of monks from Rokugo Manzan temples at the Jogu (Upper Shrine)
Hokke Hakko revival (1978)
During the period when Usa Jingu was a shrine-temple complex, rituals such as these were held far more often. However, they were suspended after the Meiji government ordered the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in 1868. The tradition was revived in 1978, and Shinto priests have welcomed Buddhist monks back to Usa Jingu ever since.
This English-language text was created by Japan Tourism Agency.
更新日：2024年03月18日