Asakusa & Kinryūzan Sensōji
What happens when you fish out a statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Guan Yin, or Kannon) in a river? This happened at the Sumida river in 628AD, according to the most trustworthy source of information in the world, Wikipedia. The rest of the story, you can read for yourself, but if true, you gotta admit that that is a pretty cool story.
The last time I was at Asakusa, it was May 2006, on a day coinciding with the Sanja Matsuri. This being one of the top 3 important Shinto festivals in Tokyo was unbeknownst to me then, as I found to amazement at the hordes of people cramming the exit out of Asakusa station.
The staff at the nearby tourist information centre must’ve thought I was the biggest plonker of a tourist when I wondered in, slightly confused, and asked them, “Excuse me, but what is going on outside?”
In defence of my intelligence, the purpose of going to Asakusa that very day was to eat Tempura for lunch before heading to Kappabashi-dori for the kitchen equipment. Anyhoo, fast forward 3 years, and here I am again!
From the main street, you will come upon Kaminarimon, which marks the entrance to the temple. Pause a while to take a photo with the Shinto gods of Thunder and Lighting who flank the entrance, trying to intimidate you into loosening your purse strings. Do not forget to also pay your respects to the slightly neglected statues of Tenryu and Kinryu at the rear of the gate.
Through these gates, you will enter Nakamise-dori, one of the oldest shopping strips in Japan that was established around 1688 by the Edo shogunate.
This street has a tumultuous history for due to politics over 120 years ago, the original Nakamise-dori’s tenants were forced out, the old buildings torn down and replaced by western style designed shops.
It is amazing how (good) commercialism trumps tragedy, as the great Kanto earthquake in 1923 leveled Nakamise-dori as did World War 2 in 1945. Both times, the inhabitants of Nakamise rebuilt the shops and it remains the bustling shopping strip we know today. Sensoji itself also got destroyed and today’s temple was reconstructed in 1958.
However, not much else has changed back then, as these shops still service visitors to the Asakusa area and Sensoji temple. A uniquely Japanese situation where high tradition and commercialism intermingle seamlessly without conflict.
It is here where I first discovered kimono textiles (Which a friend made into a book cover), kuromame (Sweet black beans), Tempura fried in a sesame oil blend and a cursed Omikuji with its predictions tied up to a pine tree to keep it waiting. Damn curse has followed me back to London though, need to find a way to get rid of it!
You will find several shops selling Japanese sweets which will make better and tastier gifts for friends than the touristy, factory packaged Narita-airport-shop wagashi boxes with comical english translations.
If you have not yet been waylaid by the shops, you will come upon an incense burner just in front of the temple’s courtyard. It is believed that its smoke possesses curative properties and simply wafting it over any ailing parts will provide relief and healing. Needless to say, I plunged my whole body over the burning coils in a desperate attempt to fumigate the troubles in my soul.
With a purified soul and transformation into a walking barbeque complete, one last step at the Chōzuya had to be performed before approaching the temple itself.
A Chōzuya is basically a washing area for worshippers to perform Misogi, which is the ritual cleansing of the hands and mouth. In case you are wondering how I know these terms, they are on a pamphlet from a Shinto Shrine.
According to this informative pamphlet, to perform Misogi, you do the following:
- Hold ladle in right hand, get water from fountain and pour over left hand
- Switch hands and repeat
- With ladle in right hand again, pour some water into your left hand and rinse your mouth with it
- Do not drink the water or make gargling noises
- Spit water into the base of the fountain
- You are no longer the filthy foreign animal who contaminates our country (This will be added by me should I ever become a temple’s caretaker)
Having the burden of living with sin lifted, I approached the temple in reverence, took on last shot with the camera and slung it away on my back. It is disrespectful as well as prohibited to take pictures of the inner temple and its alters. Did you hear about the rumoured horrible demise of the guy who was happily snapping pictures from an airplane and unintentionally captured a picture of Guanyin/Kannon riding a dragon (The very goddess to whom this temple is dedicated to) ? You don’t want to mess with the deities, reputations for mercy notwithstanding.
Toss some coins into the offering boxes, bow your head and clasp your hands togather in whichsoever way you want and say a little prayer. This is a Buddhist temple, so no hand clapping to summon Shinto spirits.
I hope my prayers are answered, but if they are not, I will keep returning time and again to Sensoji as it is one of my favourite places in Tokyo.
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