Myōen-ji (妙圓寺)

April 10, 2023

Myōen-ji (妙圓寺)

Hojuden (top) and the cave entrance (bottom)

The entrance of Myoen-ji

There is a Buddhist temple (Tendai Buddhism) called Myouen-ji (妙圓寺), officially Wakō zan Iōin Myōen-ji (和光山醫王院妙圓寺), standing in the mountainous area in the western part of Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.

It is unclear when the temple was founded, but it is said it was restored in 1615 by a Buddhist priest, Shungyo (舜尭), from Hieizan Enryaku-ji (比叡山延暦寺) in Kyoto. Tsukimori-myoen-zenji (月盛妙圓禅尼), the mother of Mizushima Gorouemon (水嶋五郎右衛門) who was the founder of the village in the area at the time of the restoration and the patron of the temple, has been appointed as the founding priest.

The current main hall (本堂) building was rebuilt in 1745.

Main hall

The cave (岩屋霊穴), on the left of the main hall, is believed to have been made into the current form by the time of the 4th chief priest, Konen (広然). Close to the entrance, inside the cave, is a pond called Zeni-arai Ike (銭洗い池), also known as Tsuchiya Zeni Arai Benzaiten (土屋銭洗辯財天). It is said by washing money with the pond water, the money will return in multiples. Water is flowing into this pond from another pond, Benten Ike (辯天池), in the cave.

Zeni-arai Ike (left)

There is a Benten hall (辯天堂) named "Hojuden (寳珠殿)" standing above the cave. Records show the current hall was rebuilt in December 1804. The suzuhimo, the rope for ringing the bells, has the name Eiichirou Funakoshi (船越英一郎), a prominent Japanese actor, who frequently visits the temple.