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| Notice the reduced dimensions toward the top |
Saisho-in temple has a particularly beautiful,
well-balanced five-storied pagoda. The temple is one of the two major among
forty six temples standing to the south of Hirosaki Castle, the other being
Chosho-ji temple. Saisho-in originated in the Buddhist halls built and
dedicated by a warlord in 1532. When the castle was built at the beginning of
the 17th century, the temple was relocated to the northeast of the
castle to stop evil influences from entering the castle grounds from that
direction. The temple was patronized by the fiefdom, and supervised temples and
shrines in the Tsugaru Domain in the Edo period. However, the temple suffered
and forced to come to the present site where Daien-ji temple once stood but
moved out at the beginning of the Meiji period when the Meiji government made
Shinto the national religion and made little of the Buddhist temples. Many of
the temples were discontinued at that time.
The pagoda once belonged to Daien-ji and was
built in 1667 to honor the sacrifice of those who died in battles, regardless
of friends or foes. More than ten years had passed when the tower was finally
completed. The Shinbashira central pillar of the pagoda is square and stands
from the ceiling of the first floor. Note; the five storied pagodas are
practically one-floored, the upper space being a vast attic.
Across the country, there are six historical
five-storied pagodas whose central pillar stands from above the first
floor. Except the one at Honmon-ji temple in Tokyo, I saw them all. Hey I’m a
tower hunter.
The temple premises are accessible free of charge during
the day.
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