Fukuoka｜The Soul of Sugawara no Michizane Travels to Song Dynasty to Observe the Legend of Chuanyi Pagoda and Guangming Zen Temple

Komyozen-ji Temple was designated as a Fukuoka scenic spot in 2014; after 2016, photography was not allowed in the Zen-like dry landscape and the One Drop of Sea Garden; it has been closed since the epidemic, and it can be said to be the most mysterious Zen temple in Fukuoka. The story begins with the origin of Komyozenji Temple. It is said to have been founded by monk Enshin Tetsugiu, who was from the Sugawara family, in the 10th year of Bunei (1273) during the Kamakura period. It is recorded in the legend of the god crossing the Song Dynasty that Guan Yuan Daozhen's soul traveled to the Song Dynasty, practiced Zen and achieved enlightenment, and appeared in front of Tie Niu Yuanxin. He asked him to collect and worship the monk's robes passed down by Wuzhun Shifan of the Song Dynasty, and then build Guangming Zen Temple next to it. Today, the inscriptions on the stone of the Chuanyi Pagoda are mottled and difficult to see at a glance, but the stone statues next to the Pagoda are still visited by believers. The legends of Sugawara no Michizane's Tenjin and Tosou Tenjin are still popular today, and the famous dry landscape garden was designed by Shigemori Mirei. He was one of the most famous gardeners of the Showa era and a researcher of garden history. He wrote works such as Karesansui and The History of Japanese Gardens. There is now the Shigemori Mirei Museum to continue sharing his creations. In the Fo Guang Stone Garden at Guangming Zen Temple, he used 15 stones to represent Sakyamuni, Bodhisattva and Manjusri Bodhisattva, representing the Buddha's teachings that one can feel in silence; the One Drop of Ocean Garden uses white sand to represent the ocean. Today, the gates of Komyoji Temple are closed, and one can only experience the Zen spirit of the ancient temple from its ancient buildings and the plum blossoms in full bloom in the courtyard. If you want to see the works of Shigemori Mirei, you can also go to the Hojo Garden of Tofukuji Temple or the Matsuo Taisha Garden. 📍Address: 〒818-0117 2-16-1, Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture 🚗Five minutes walk from Nishitetsu Dazaifu Station #MarchGoodPlaces2025