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Manpukuji (萬福寺) is a large temple complex and headquarters of a Chinese Zen sect (Obaku-shu). It's one of the Big Three Zen sects in Japan (besides Soto and Rinzai).The founder was Chinese Zen master Yinyuan Longqi (Ingen) from Fujien Province in China who came to Japan via Nagasaki in 1654. Manpukuji (or Mampukuji) is part of the Japan Heritage for Uji tea history. A short walk from Obaku Station on the JR Nara Line and Keihan Uji Line.
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Chinese-style Somon Gate (Important Cultural Property), the first entrance to Manpukuji. It's a quite a large temple complex with numerous buildings. A few of the major buildings are open to the public. 総門（そうもん）
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Koma no Ashikage-en Monument in front of the entrance to Manpukuji temple. This can be roughly translated as "Hoof Print Field Monument." 駒蹄影園跡碑This monument is part of the Japan Heritage designation for Uji tea history.
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About Koma no Ashikage-en Monument. According to legend, local people in Uji pondered over how to sow the seeds to grow tea.It was then Priest Myoe (明恵), from the Kegon-shu Buddhist Sect, came on horseback and trotted on the field saying, "Plant the seeds in my horse's hoof prints." This monument was built by Uji tea growers in 1926 to express their appreciation to Myoe.
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Lotus pond in front of Sanmon Gate. 放生池
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The Sanmon main gate (Important Cultural Property). 三門（さんもん）
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Sanmon main gate. 三門（さんもん）
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At the Sanmon Gate, pay the admission to enter the temple. It's a very interesting temple, but they don't really have English explanations.
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The Sanmon main gate (exit side). 三門（さんもん）
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From Sanmon Gate, path to Tennoden Hall. The path is modeled after dragon scales.
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From Sanmon Gate, path to Tennoden Hall. The path is modeled after dragon scales.
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From Sanmon Gate, path to Tennoden Hall. The path is modeled after dragon scales.
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Before going to Tennoden Hall, we turned left to this small gate leading to Kaizan-do Hall.
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Karahafu roof gable
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Karahafu roof gable
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Very fine roof.
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Manpukuji's Kaizan-do Hall (Important Cultural Property) where sect founder Yinyuan Longqi (Ingen) is worshipped. 開山堂（かいさんどう）
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Chinese-style architecture is obvious with the roof corners curling upward.
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Chinese design on the railing. Temple buildings are in Ming-style. Many buildings are Important Cultural Properties, but no National Treasures. 卍崩しのデザイン
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Altar inside the Kaizan-do Hall.
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Kaizan-do Hall
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The big Sanmon Gate in the background.
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Manpukuji has a lot of covered corridors linking the major buildings.
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寿塔
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石碑
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Manpukuji corridor lanterns.
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Manpukuji temple bell in a corridor.
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Manpukuji temple bell in a corridor.
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Tennoden Hall (Important Cultural Property). 天王殿（てんのうでん）
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Inside the Tennoden Hall is Hotei, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. 天王殿（てんのうでん）、弥勒菩薩（布袋）
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Our Manpukuji priest guide admits his resemblance to Hotei and kindly posed next to it.
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Inside Manpukuji's Tennoden Hall is Hotei, one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. 天王殿（てんのうでん）、弥勒菩薩（布袋）
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Our Manpukuji priest guide spoke through our interpreter.
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Statue behind the Hotei statue.
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Corridor to Daiohoden Hall.
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Daiohoden Hall roof.
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Daiohoden Hall (Important Cultural Property), Manpukuji's main worship hall or temple. 大雄寶殿（だうおうほうでん）
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About Daiohoden Hall.
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Daiohoden Hall (Important Cultural Property), Manpukuji's main temple. 大雄寶殿（だうおうほうでん）
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Chinese-style incense burner.
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Round window at Daiohoden Hall.
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Daiohoden Hall entrance.
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In front of Daiohoden Hall.
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Altar inside Daiohoden Hall, Manpukuji's main temple. It worships a sitting Shaka Nyorai or Gautama Buddha. 大雄寶殿（だうおうほうでん）
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Shaka Nyorai or Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism. 釈迦如来座像
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Chinese wooden fish drum for beating during prayers.
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Side view of the Shaka Nyorai.
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These mats on the floor are not for sitting. The priests stand behind the mats and chant.
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Daiohoden Hall also has statues of the Eighteen Arhats. 十八羅漢像They are the original followers of the Buddha who have reached the state of Nirvana and are free of worldly desires.
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Each arhat has a name.
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Rear view of Daiohoden Hall.
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Rear view of Daiohoden Hall.
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Behind the Daiohoden Hall is Hatto Hall (Important Cultural Property) where Buddhist lectures are held. 法堂（はっとう）
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Hatto Hall's bell-shaped window.
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About Hatto Hall.
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Manpukuji's famous fish board. 魚梆
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Manpukuji's famous wooden fish board used like a gong to indicate the time. 魚梆
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伽藍堂 (Important Cultural Property)
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伽藍堂
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Bell tower (Important Cultural Property)
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About the Bell Tower
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Prayer tablets (ema)
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Women cleaning the sliding lattice doors before repapering.
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Plum blossoms.
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Near the Sanmon Gate is this entrance to Icho-an restaurant. 銀杏庵
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Icho-an restaurant serves Chinese-style shojin-ryori (religious vegetarian cuisine) called fucha-ryori (普茶料理). This is another thing about Manpukuji. The sect's founder Ingen helped to spread Chinese cuisine in Japan from the 17th c.
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Inside Icho-an. We could immediately tell that it was Chinese since the food was served on a turntable (Lazy Susan) which you can see in the photo.(This photo was taken after we finished lunch.)
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Appetizers of our full-course, Chinese-style religious vegetarian cuisine at Icho-an. This plate was for four people. Very different, very colorful, and such a unique taste and deliciousness that I've never had before.Fucha ryori is healthy too. Well worth the ¥5,000 which I first thought was quite pricey for a religious meal with no meat. Got stuffed and we could take home some food too.
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Fucha ryori became very popular after it was first introduced in Japan. No wonder. It looks exotic and tastes absolutely delicious. Salad.
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Fucha ryori has no fish nor meat.
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Rice was finally served at the end with pickles.
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Dessert. One of the best meals I ever had in Japan. Advance reservations are required. It's not a walk-in restaurant. More info photos in Japanese: https://www.obakusan.or.jp/eat/
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On my second visit to Manpukuji, I went with a group of foreigners and had lunch at the temple's restaurant Oryokaku (黄龍閣) serving Chinese-style shojin-ryori (religious vegetarian cuisine) called fucha-ryori (普茶料理).
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"Obaku-san Fucha Ryori" bento-type (box lunch) fucha ryori for our large tour group. It costs around ¥3,000.
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A simple bento (box lunch) fucha ryori at Manpukuji temple, Uji, Kyoto 普茶料理
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Little pine cones at Manpukuji.
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Lotus in a pot at Manpukuji temple.
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Manpukuji also has a subtemple and treasure house called Hozoin (宝蔵院) noted for storing tens of thousands of woodblocks used for printing Buddhist scriptures.
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Entrance to Hozoin.
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Manpukuji also has a subtemple and treasure house called Hozoin (宝蔵院) noted for storing tens of thousands of woodblocks that are still used for printing Buddhist scriptures.
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Tetsugen Doko (1630-1682), one of Ingen's Japanese disciples, started the project to make these printing blocks still used today.
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Woodblock for printing Buddhist scripture. Looks very worn out.
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Sample printings.
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Buddhist picture print too.
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Well
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Marijuana leaf (or maybe maple leaf) design on this street gutter cover near Manpukuji. Probably hemp leaves, commonly used for making cloth.
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"Curios" is an archaic term from the Meiji Period.
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Fire hydrant manhole. Near Manpukuji, Uji, Kyoto.
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Very unusual thatched roof home near Manpukuji.
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Pine tree
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