399 steps to peace of mind

Hasedera Temple, Nara

Sakurai city in southern Nara prefecture is known as the beloved city of Japan. And for very good reasons: it has a rich history, amaz- ing seasonal landscapes, spectacular festivals, and some rare temples. One of these remarkable temples, Hasedera, lies on the peaceful and holy mountain of Hatsuse-yama, just 12 kms away from Sakurai city to the east.

Hasedera is less than an hour's drive from Osaka. Approach to the temple is through a small old town with narrow streets that has numerous souvenir stalls, kusamochi (Japanese herb rice cake), fresh vegetables and food shops on the both sides. Soba is the popular local food dish here that tourists queue for. The sound of the gong and chanting from the monastery leads you towards the direction to the temple premises. The first sight after leaving the streets behind is thegorgeous old wooden temple and pagoda painted in stark red lacquer and another couple of temples on the top of the lush green mountain.

The entry is ¥500 and, and then there's a climb of 399 stone steps covered with a wooden roof to arrive at the entrance of the Hondo Hall. And because the number four is unlucky in Japanese (it sounds the same as ‘death') there are 399 steps, rather than a number containing a four. However, to reach all the way to the Kannon, you have to go up three more steps, indicating that to reach Kannon is to overcome death. People say that with each step you take, you become more and more calm and peaceful because the entire mountain has the spiritual energy to make you relaxed and feel at one with yourself.

History tells us that the priest Domyo establi- shed Hasedera in 686, and then later the main statue of the eleven-face Kannon - divine savior of all the people in the world. The statue, dedicated in 727 by priest Tokudo, depicts Kannon with ten faces on the top of the main face. The statue is huge, about 10m in height and covered with gold. Hasedera is also known as the Shingon sect's Buzan group's head temple. It's the eighth holy temple of Saigoku (West) 33 Kannon pilgrimage.

The main hall of Hasedera Temple is one of the biggest halls of all the temples in Nara, extending southwards on a raised platform open to the sky. From there, you can look at the Gojyu-no-to (five-story pagoda) and the panoramic view of the town surrounded by greenery. You can also enjoy the walk of 30- 40min within the mountain, as there are many other small temples to visit. Hasedera is also famous for its peony garden and has more than 7,000 plants and 150 species of peony planted in the grounds. It is a breath-taking sight when they are in full bloom, especially in winter and in late autumn. Throughout the year the rich scent of the flowers attracts not only the honey- bees, but also the tourists and the nature lovers from all over.

Text & photos: Yoko Sakamoto