Isshinji 一心寺
Buddha ash and bones
Steel pipes and cement blocks intertwine to mark the entrance to the eight hundred year old temple. Built in 1977 according to the plans of the priest Takaguchi (1940 - ...), also an architect in his spare time, this porch announces the originality of a place full of surprises.
The new convert will shudder at the sight of six Buddhas of several meters high made of human bones, which are devoutly honored by the faithful. Since the Edo period (1603-1868), the inhabitants of the region bring the bodies of their dead to the temple for cremation. The ash collected is then mixed and cast in a mold to take the form of the Enlightened. Called "Okotsu butsu" each of these statues require nearly two hundred thousand remains.
Far from being morbid, these representations are perfectly in line with the thinking of the Jodo School. They make it possible to affirm the respect due to the dead and give them a place in everyday life.
