Traces of Nichiren in Early Modern Kamakura
Year: 2020
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: Nichiren spent his main period of activity in Kamakura. As Nichiren was active in Kamakura for more than ten years, there are a great many historical landmarks there associated with him. These have been designated as sacred places by subsequent successors of Nichiren and deemed as places that commemorate his life and allow visitors to relive his experiences. In the early modern age, it has become commonplace for the public to visit a variety of temples and shrines. People of all social classes travel great distances to visit sacred mountains, famous temples, and shrines, or even local temples and shrines. These and other scenic sites of historical interest have become places visited for pleasure and recreation rather than only out of religious belief. In light of these social developments, what role is played by the sacred sites associated with Nichiren? In this paper, I will first examine the perception of Sacred Sites Associated with Nichiren in Regional Chronicles and Records of Famous Places held by the intelligentsia, the common people, and others as described in early modern regional chronicles and records of famous places. Following this, I will examine how temples themselves described the sacred sites associated with Nichiren based on the construction of stone monuments and documents describing their origin and history.
Author: Terao, Eichi
Language: English
Topic: Indian and Buddhist Studies
Subfield: Religious studies
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7207941863