Introduction
It’s a truism that we often don’t realise how important something is until we start losing it. The gift of sight is one of these things. Just think how much poorer life would be without our vision; those of us who rely on glasses to see anything at all have an early headstart on this realisation.
Despite the importance of sight and vision, there are few religious institutions in Japan dedicated to eye-related ailments. Nevertheless, the ones that do exist are for the most part fairly active, high-profile places, attracting a consistent stream of worshippers.
Whether you’re about to undergo cataract surgery or simply wish to express gratitude for your faithful spectacles (or perfect eyesight), these shrines and temples are here to hear your prayers.
Tsubosaka Temple, Nara
Located on Mount Tsubosaka, this temple complex overlooks Yoshino Mountain to the south, and commands a sweeping view of the Nara Basin — especially beautiful in spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Temple records say that the monk Benki Shōnin of Gango-ji Temple founded this temple in 703 (or 717 depending on who you ask), first enshrining his cherished crystal vase in a hermitage on the mountain, and then carving and enshrining an image of the Kannon that he had seen in a spiritual vision.
Tsubosaka Temple and its principal deity, the Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon, have been venerated for centuries thanks to their (supposedly) miraculous efficacy in curing eye ailments; the Emperor Kanmu himself was believed to have visited. As an official, government-controlled temple during the Heian periods, it attracted frequent visits from the nobility. Among them was the celebrated writer Sei Shōnagon, who mentions Tsubosaka in The Pillow Book as foremost among temples renowned for their miraculous powers.
Its fortunes waxed and waned over the centuries with various wars and fires. Its reputation for healing eye diseases was cemented during the early Meiji period with the sensational “The Tsubosaka Miracles” an anonymously-penned work set to music by the renowned shamisen master Toyozawa Danpei and his wife. (The temple began selling medicinal eye drops around the same time.) The tale is based on a real-life blind couple from the mid-Edo period, and unfolds as follows.
At the foot of Mount Takatori lived Osato and her husband Sawaichi (or Sawauchi), a blind masseuse who had lost his sight to smallpox. She is desperate to cure her husband’s eyes, and slips away every morning to pray at the temple renowned for its miraculous healing powers. But Sawauchi suspects her of having an affair, and eventually accuses her of cheating on him.
Osato explains herself, and ashamed, Sawaichi apologises, deciding to accompany her to the temple. He is so distraught that he decides to commit suicide by throwing himself off the mountain to stop being a burden to his wife. Later, Osato finds his cane on the ground, and inferring what has happened, decides to follow him into the afterlife.
The next morning, Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, takes pity on Osato and Sawaichi, reviving the loving couple and restoring his eyesight at the same time.
During the 1960s, the temple became involved in relief efforts for leprosy patients in India, which included fund-raising for schools and scholarship programmes. The Indian-style statues, bas-relief carvings in white stone, and the Taj Mahal-style sanctuary on the temple grounds were presented by the Indian government as thanks.
Eye-themed elements abound. There are ema votive tablets with the character め for ‘eye’ written on each one and lucky charms for warding off eye diseases. Besides eye drops, visitors can purchase candy containing powder extracted from Nikko maple; in folk medicine, its bark was used to treat liver disorders and eye diseases. From October to December, the temple puts a pair of wooden glasses frames without lenses on display. They measure 4.7 metres wide and 1.8 metres high, and as such are a pretty impressive sight. (Pun fully intended.)
Ichibata Yakushi, Shimane
Ichibata Yakushi is a mountaintop Rinzai Buddhist temple in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, renowned for its supposed benefits in relieving eye ailments and protecting our vision; as if to remind visitors to be grateful for the gift of sight, one can enjoy panoramic views of Lake Shinji and the Chugoku mountain range from here. To get here, visitors must climb 1,300 steps up the mountain.
The temple was founded in 894. It began with a fisherman named Yoichi, who discovered a statue of the Medicine Buddha (Yakushi Nyōrai) in the sea and brought it home. It is a long tale from its discovery to the establishment of the temple, which is detailed in full on the temple’s website, but salient events include the restoration of his blind mother’s eyesight and Yoichi entering the Buddhist priesthood.
Throughout the centuries, Ichibata Yakushi received support and patronage from various powerful local clans. In the main hall are 84,000 statues of the Buddha alongside the principal Medicine Buddha, while 180 lanterns — funded by local people in Izumo — line the approach. The Ichibata Electric Railway linking the cities of Izumo and Matsue was established in 1912, enabling more pilgrims to visit. The temple is the headquarters of the Ichibata Yakushi Association, which has 150 branches nationwide.
One of its most notable events today is the blessing ceremony for eyeglasses held on 8 November every year, held as an expression of gratitude to one’s spectacles for their years of service. Visitors who need to dispose of their old glasses can bring them to the temple, where the priests will collect the usable pairs and donate them to a group in India for people who are unable to afford spectacles.
Besides the farewell ceremony, the temple also hosts other events throughout the year, such as the Flower Festival on 8 April (coinciding with the Buddha’s birthday), the Windchime Festival from late June to late September, and the Ichibata Yakushi Marathon on 26 October. Another draw for visitors is the koreicha, tea brewed with local well water. Naturally, one can also purchase the water and bags of loose-leaf tea.
Eye Shrine, Saitama
This is the most enigmatic eye shrine out of all the places on this list. Located on the precincts of Gyoda Hachiman Shrine — which the reader may recall is also home to Kasamori Inari — this subsidiary shrine is reputedly renowned for its efficacy in curing eye ailments and restoring vision. However, it is difficult to find any definitive information on this shrine beyond the basics.
The Eye Shrine is dedicated to Ajisukitakahikone, a minor kami in Japanese mythology. He is one of the sons of Ōkuninushi, the kami of nation-building and agriculture. No other shrine besides this one (to our knowledge) venerates him as a kami for healing eye diseases, so how and why this association came about is unknown. That being said, precise details about the founding of Gyoda Hachiman Shrine have also been lost to time — or rather, the historical records were lost to various fires — so all this may have to remain a mystery.
At any rate, the ema (votive plaques) at the shrine feature a curious and striking design: ‘mukaime’ or ‘facing eyes,’ a pair of the character め mirroring each other. For now, no explanation about the design is forthcoming.
Ganriki-sha Shrine, Kyoto
Most visitors to Fushimi Inari Taisha rarely ever venture beyond the first 200 metres, content with a few photos of its impressive vermillion torii gates. This is a shame, as there are rewards aplenty for persisting further up the mountain. The crowds thin out as the path becomes ever steeper, and the beautiful views of the city halfway up alone are worth the climb. Those who make it all the way to the top of Mount Inari will reach Ganriki-sha Shrine.
Affectionately referred to as Ganriki-san, the shrine houses the deity of eyes and — fittingly — foresight. This small subsidiary shrine is located some distance from the main building at the top of the mountain, so few tourists end up there; however, it has its believers, including eye disease sufferers, business people and traders who understand the power of foresight, and those who have goals to accomplish in life.
The official website for Ganriki-san has various testimonials from past pilgrims who report successful eye surgeries, restored vision, the recovery of ailing companies, and the like. The shrine exhorts visitors to first consult a specialist for severe eye conditions — a pragmatic attitude to take — and suggests that one is likely to feel the deity’s power when praying for symptom relief, recovery, or surgical success.
Written by Florentyna Leow