Mōshigi monju-dō, Buddhist temple in Uki, Japan
Mōshigi monju-dō is a Buddhist hall in the Higashikaidō area of Ogawa, Uki, Kumamoto, founded in 1593 by warriors from Mōshigi who served under Katō Kiyomasa in the Bunroku campaign. It enshrines Monju Bosatsu as its main deity together with Amida Nyorai, Akiba Myōjin and Ikime Hachiman, and is also called the Dazaifu of the West.
Founded in 1593, the hall was established by warriors from Mōshigi who served under Katō Kiyomasa during the Bunroku campaign and carried the Monju image from Munju-sa in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The site is also called the Dazaifu of the West. In 1996 the hall and the Mōshigi settlement were chosen among the New Kumamoto Hundred Views.
Dedicated to Monju Bosatsu, the deity of wisdom and learning, this temple draws many students who leave offerings in hopes of academic success. Visitors often notice small tokens and written prayers left by those seeking help with their studies.
The hall stands at 3077 Ogawamachi Higashikaido, Uki, Kumamoto, in the Mōshigi settlement. Its main rites fall at New Year: the prayer festival on 1 January and the hatsumōde unveiling of the image on 2–3 January. The grounds also hold a Suijin shrine and a Sarutahiko stone monument.
The hall and the Mōshigi settlement were chosen in 1996 for the "New Kumamoto 100 Views" list. Within the grounds stands a stone monument to Sarutahiko, the kami of paths and guidance, a detail many visitors pass without noticing.
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