The Rising Sun: The City of Gold

Today’s post will be focused on the brighter side of Iwate prefecture. In the Iwate prefecture, there is the town of Hiraizumi. It was built by the once powerful Fujiwara clan. This clan had strong family ties to the emperors of Japan and exploited that relationship. By intermarrying, the Fujiwara clan held strong political power and set up the Northern family base in the town of Hiraizumi. Nearly 3,000 artifacts of the Fujiwara clan can be found there today. Hiraizumi was not only a major political town but a large economic town as well. As the main trader in gold, the Fujiwara clan had no worries about their financial situation. However in 1189, Minamoto Yoritomo, who later became the first shogun which is like an emperor, destroyed Hiraizumi looking for Yoshitsune. Yoshitsune was his brother and rival. He was being sheltered by the Fujiwara clan who paid for it dearly.

Fujiwara no Kiyohira, the founder of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, set up Chusonji Temple of Buddhism in the year 850. In this temple, you can find Konijikido, Kyozo Hall, the Treasure Hall, and a noh stage. Only Konijikido and the Kyozo Hall have survived to today while the others were rebuilt. The original Chusonji had pagodas, halls, gate, bell tower, repository, over 40 temples and shrines, and 300 cells for priests.

Konijikido is a hall featuring objects, wall hangings, and decorations made of entirely of gold. “The Golden Hall is also a grave of the three successive heads of the Fujiwara family. On the altars under which three coffins are stored stand rows of golden Buddhist statues and accouterments, and those altars, the ceilings, and pillars are gorgeously decorated with gold, silver and jewels.”

In Kyozo Hall Buddha scripture, or sermons, are stored. Not as impressive as Konijikido but certainly has the same amount in majesty. Hondo is the main hall where rituals and rites are performed and you can probably guess what’s in the Treasure Hall.

Near Chusonji Temple is Mt. Kinkeisan or “gold chicken mountain”. There is a legend that two gold chicken statues were buried at the top to protect Hiraizumi. This may seem silly but Japanese ancestry is from China. There, the chicken represents the break of day that drives away the night. In many folktales, the hero is saved by the sunrise and nocturnal monsters driven back by a rooster’s cry. Other legends of Mt. Kinkeisan include how it was built and lost treasure. It is said that Hidehira, the third lord of Hiraizumi, built it in one night and that 10,000 lacquered bowls filled with gold are buried on it somewhere.

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