🗺️ Musashi Kokubunji武蔵国分寺

Musashi Kokubunji is a Shingon sect temple of the Hōsan school located in Kokubunji City, Tokyo. Like Kokubunji temples across Japan, it was built under the orders of Emperor Shōmu during the Tenpyō Hōji era (757-765). At that time, it featured a seven-story pagoda that stood over 60 meters tall, believed to be one of the largest Kokubunji temples in the country. It was destroyed by fire during the Kamakura period and was later rebuilt on the same site, including the main hall, Yakushidō (Hall of the Medicine Buddha), and Nio-mon (Gate of the Guardian Deities). The main deity enshrined here is a wooden statue of Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) made during the Heian period. It has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan and is housed in the Yakushidō, open to the public only during the annual ritual on October 10 when the statue is displayed. Additionally, the temple grounds feature a "Manyō Garden," where the chief priest has cultivated around 160 types of plants mentioned in the Manyōshū (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), providing a visual feast for visitors. Cats naturally gather around the temple, said to be there to protect it. The temple office sells cat-shaped amulets featuring pink, light blue, and calico cat designs, which any cat lover would surely want to own.

The Shingon Sect's Hōsan branch is one of the Kokubun-ji temples located throughout the country. The main deity, the Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) statue, is designated as an important cultural asset by the state. The Manyō Garden cultivates plants that appear in the "Manyōshū" (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves). The temple is home to many cats, making it a popular topic among cat lovers.