Tendai-shū Bekkaku Honzan Fugakusan Shōrakuin Jindaiji Temple

Author: Richard Perkins
Photos/Videos Taken: 2021/03/20・2021/08/25
Address: 5-15-1 Jindaiji-motomachi, Chofu-shi,
Tokyo,【182-0017】

深大寺 (jindaiji) is a Buddhist temple in the city of Chōfu in Tokyo that was said to have been founded in the year 733 by Buddhist priest Mankō. Part of the Tendai sect of Buddhism, the official name of Jindaiji is 天台宗別格本山浮岳山昌楽院深大寺 (tendai-shū bekkaku honzan fugakusan shōrakuin jindaiji).

Fukuman, the father of Mankō, was said to have fallen in love with the daughter of a wealthy and powerful family. However, the parents of this daughter opposed their love and banished their daughter to a small island on a lake. Fukuman didn’t give up and prayed to the god of water 深沙大王 (jinja-daiō). By doing so, a mysterious turtle showed up and Fukuman was able to ride on the turtle to the island where the daughter he loved was. When the parents of this daughter heard about what Fukuman had done, they gave him their permission to marry their daughter. Not long after, Mankō was born.

Jindaiji temple was originally built at the end of the Edo period in 1865 but was burnt down in a fire. It was later rebuilt and construction was completed in 1919. The Buddhist statue 釈迦如来 (shaka-nyorai), which is a natural treasure in Japan, and 元三大師（ganzan-daishi) are both enshrined here. Ganzan-daishi is usually stored away from the public eye so you might not get to see it when visiting. This statue is said to be around two meters tall and depicts this monk sitting down. The father of Mankō, Fukuman, prayed to Jinja-daiō so that he could come together and be with the daughter of the wealthy and powerful family he had fallen in love with. Because of this Jindaiji temple is known for having the divine favors of matchmaking, achieving a good match (with a partner), along with warding off one from evil fortunes.

With the abundance of nature, one step into the grounds here and you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a magical and mysterious world. This a temple that is great to visit whenever, but with the “Jindaiji Daruma-ichi” that takes place every year on March 3rd and 4th (which is said to be one of the three largest Daruma festivals in the country), the “Jindaiji Hozuki festival” that takes place in the middle of July, and the “Sobamori-kanon Kuyō festival” that takes place halfway through October, this is one temple that’s a pleasure to visit all year round.

Near Jindaiji temple are several restaurants serving soba noodles. The city of Chofu is known for “Jindaiji Soba”. These soba noodles date back to the Edo period. The area around Jindaiji wasn’t suitable for growing rice. So farmers in the area donated buckwheat flower (which is used to make soba noodles) to Jindaiji temple. Using that buckwheat flower, those at Jindaiji made soba noodles. This is said to be the origin of Jindaiji soba. These soba noodles are delicious, and a must-try when visiting Jindaiji.

The name of Jindaiji temple was said to have originated from the god of water Jinja-daiō, and Jindaiji is said to be the second oldest temple in Tokyo after 浅草寺 (sensō-ji) temple in the Taitō ward.