On October 8, 2024, the "secret statue" of Honen, the founder of the Jodo sect, was opened to the public at the "Amida Hall," an important cultural property of Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City). To commemorate the 850th anniversary of the sect's founding, a memorial service was held to open the doors of the altar for the first time in seven years, and worshippers immediately put their hands together in prayer.
The Amida Hall is said to be the first place in Japan to perform the "Jogyo Nembutsu" that Honen preached in the early Kamakura period, and is the 13th temple of the 25 sacred sites of Honen Shonin. The current building was rebuilt in the early Edo period, and the "Honen Shonin Gosho" that will be open to the public is placed near the principal image, the seated statue of Amida Nyorai.
The memorial service, which began at 1 p.m., was attended by representatives of the city's six temples that worship Amida Nyorai. When a monk from Kiyomizu-dera Temple opened the doors of the altar to reveal the statue of Honen Shonin, attendees took turns offering incense. They also chanted "Namu Amida Butsu" and reflected on this turning point.
This day was the merit day for the "Luoyang Six Amida Pilgrimage," which visits six temples, and the special public viewing will continue until next month's merit day (November 24th).
