After paying the entrance fee at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, a large vermilion-lacquered gate appears. The gate has a long history, with a flat plaque in Emperor Gomizuno's Imperial Handwriting hanging in the centre under the eaves of the gate. Eisho-ji Temple in Kamakura also has a flat plaque in Emperor Gomizuno's Imperial handwriting. As well as Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, Eisho-ji Temple is also associated with the Tokugawa family. It must have been a natural choice to commission a flat plaque from the emperor.
The gold on blue is a nice touch, but what caught my interest was the zuijin that sit on either side of the tower gate. Zuijin were officials of the Imperial Guard who served as guards for aristocrats going out after the Heian period (794-1185). In the same way that Buddhist temples have a guardian deity, Kongorikishi, at the main gate, Shinto shrines have a statue of Zuijin at the entrance to protect the deity.
A statue of Zuijin is also enshrined in the dimly lit tower gate of Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. When I looked inside, I was met with a piercing gaze. For a moment I felt nervous, but the other person was inside the lattice. Rather than protecting the gods, the Zuijin covered by the tight lattice seemed to be gently protecting them from the harsh world.
Jul 2024 SHIZUOKA STILL LIFE | |
LATTICE SHIZUOKA CITY SHRINE STATUE |
No
12607
Shooting Date
Nov 2023
Posted On
July 3, 2024
Modified On
July 4, 2024
Place
Shizuoka City, Shizuoka
Genre
Street Photography
Camera
SONY ALPHA 7R V
Lens
ZEISS BATIS 2/40 CF