Enku, Sculptor of 100,000 Buddhas and Living Artisans in Japan April 7-21, 2016 Dear Friends, Thank you for your interest in our pilgrimage to Japan. The itinerary is now finalized. We depart from North America or Europe on April 6th (arriving in Kyoto on April 7th) and finish our journey on April 21st. This pilgrimage is a very special one; we visit places affiliated with Enku and meet scholars and abbots to hear their stories in depth. We also meet unique artisans in Kyoto and other cities. This trip is lead by Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi and Roshi Joan Halifax. The cost, cancellation policy, and other details follow the detailed itinerary.
This pilgrimage will focus on the extraordinary Japanese sculptor and Buddhist monk Enkū (1632-1695). Enku wandered all over Japan, on pilgrimage, teaching, and helping the poor along the way and leaving the treasures of his art. During his travels, he carved over 100,000 wooden statues of the Buddha. No two were alike. Many of the statues were crudely carved from tree stumps or scrap wood with a few strokes of a hatchet. Some were given to comfort those who had lost family members, others to guide the dying on their journey to the afterlife. Thousands of these wooden statues remain today all over Japan, especially in the Hida and Gifu regions. This Enku Pilgrimage will take us to Kyoto and Nagoya where we find rare examples of his art; his birth place Gifu Hashima; the place of his first carving Gujo Hachimon; beautiful Senko-ji near Takayama; Kyodo Shiryu-kan in Takayama; and Moroku-ji in Seki, where he died. We will have the chance to enter private homes and small and large temples and private museums where these statues are kept and revered, and to be in a part of rural Japan that is rare and beautiful. Plus we are going in the spring, when the mountains will be alive with blossoms. We will also have time with artists who are in the Enku Society and to see their works and learn of their devotion to Enku. The trip willl be co-led by Sensei Kaz Tanahashi, who has written the book, "Enku: Sculptor of a Hundred Thousand Buddhas." With Kaz will be Roshi Joan Halifax, Abbot of Upaya Zen Center, and artist Mitsue Nagase. "Enku (1632-1695) was an extraordinary monk. The rough and direct quality of his wooden sculptures arose from the speed of his chisel strokes and his compulsion to carve an enormous quantity of images. He completed 100,000 pieces of sculpture in his lifetime, a fact which by itself distinguishes him among sculptors. These sometimes smiling, sometimes fierce figures of deities were worshipped by the common people of his time; even today people attribute spiritual powers to them. Mystic anecdotes about many of these carved images have been passed on by many generations of believers. "The most remarkable aspect of Enku's work is its timelessness. The composition tends be abstract and the form simple, unique and free from traditional iconography. The surface of the figures is often unfinished, preserving the original coarse quality of the material.
"Enku's sculpture remained obscure from the seventeenth century until its rediscovery in the 1950s. Now this esoteric Buddhist ascetic is rapidly gaining recognition, and he is emerging as one of the most important sculptors in the history of Japanese art." ITINERARY April 6 th Depart (from North America or Europe) April 7 th We meet at Nanzen Kaikan in Kyoto which is located right in front of the historic and magnificent Sanmon gate of the Nanzenji Monastery, one of the headquarters of the Rinzai School Zen. You can arrive anytime after 3 p.m. At 7 p.m. everyone gathers for a communal temple-style vegetarian dinner (Shojin Ryori) and meets with Roshi Joan and Sensei Kazuaki. April 8 th After breakfast, visit the Nanzenji Monastery compound followed by our first council as a group. In the afternoon you have free time to explore. You may want to stroll on the Philosopher s Path; the Ginkakuji temple, which is iconic for Japanese esthetic wabi sabi; and other temples along the way. Nanzenji Kaikan is located in the Higashiyama district. Many of the historic temples are within walking distance. You might also want to join the communal Zazenkai, happening at sub temples of Nanzenji every day and night. Lunch and dinner are on your own. April 9 th After breakfast, we visit master bamboo craft person, Mr. Shoichi Ishida at his studio. We learn about traditional craftsmanship over history, as well as watch him demonstrate some of the techniques. There will be a showcase of some of finest works the artist and his students have created using bamboo. The afternoon is free to explore on your own. You may want to explore the Nishiki Market for traditional food; Gion Kyoto s most famous geisha district; and Arashiyama, famous for its bamboo forest. Lunch and dinner are on your own.
April 10 th After breakfast, we leave Kyoto and start our pilgrimage to visit Enku related temples and shrines. While we travel to Hashima, Sensei Kaz gives an introduction about Enku. We meet Hasegawa Sensei, a prominent Enku scholar. He accompanies us for the afternoon. We visit the Kannon shrine and the Yakushi temple. Lunch is together in Hashima City. Then we stop at Tsuishima Jizodo, and Ongakuji Temple. Lodging is at the Gifu Miyako Hotel. Dinner is on your own. April 11 th After breakfast, we travel to Takayama, the area that has so many of Enku s carvings. Takayama, located in deep mountains, is also known for its traditional and unique culture. After we check in at the ryokan (Japanese-style inn), we visit Harada Roshi, abbot of a local Soto Zen temple, Shoso-ji. We have a communal dinner at the ryokan. April 12 th We visit Shoso-ji Temple for morning Zazen before breakfast. After breakfast, we travel to Senko-ji Temple, known for its outstanding Enku pantheon. We are welcomed by abbot Daien Ohshita Roshi, who is active on spreading Dharma to thegeneral community in Japan and internationally. Lunch is together at the temple, followed by a council. Dinner is together at the ryokan. April 13 th After breakfast at the ryokan, we travel to Shirakawa Village. It is a world heritage site covered in deep snow in the winter where people are preserving traditional way to live in a mountainous village. After lunch (on one s own), we head to downtown Takayama. The afternoon and evening are free to explore the historic and lovely town of Takayama. Dinner is on your own. April 14 th Following breakfast and council at the ryokan, we travel to Gujyo Hachiman. Gujyo Hachiman is a small, quiet castle town with old stone pavement. You can freely explore the town. Dinner is on your own.
April 15 th After breakfast at the ryokan, we travel to the Hoshinomiya Shinto Shrine and the affiliated Enku Furusato Museum. Dinner is together at the ryokan. April 16 th After breakfast at the ryokan, we travel to Mino, a town famous for making paper and paper lanterns. You can visit the craft museum and stores on your own. April 17 th After breakfast, we travel to Miroku-ji temple, the final resting place of Enku. We have zazen and a council there. Then we visit the Seki Enku museum. Dinner is together at the hotel. April 18 th After breakfast at the hotel, we travel to Arako Kannon temple. We are welcomed by Rev. Hioki, the abbot of Arako Kannon temple and Enku scholar Kojima Sensei. They present a short lecture at the temple. We also participate in a special workshop to try Enku-style wood carving. This will be a highlight of our trip following Enku s footsteps. After lunch together with Kojima Sensei we head to Kyoto. We arrive at Kyoto in the late afternoon. Dinner is on your own. April 19 th After breakfast, we visit Mr. Akihisa Yamamoto. His craft is indeed very special. He makes traditional mirrors that are often dedicated to Shinto shrines and temples. He is also skilled at making Makyo (magic mirrors). There are only a few people in Japan who can make this type of mirror. At his studio, we not only see his craftsmanship, but also engage in Q & A. Lunch is on your own. Ms. Sachiko Matsumoto of Monomo leads whoever interested in visiting more craft places. Dinner is on your own. April 20 th You have a free day in Kyoto to visit temples, shrines, museums, galleries, stroll up and down the streets, and shop. We gather together for our final council in the late afternoon. We then have a specially catered and beautifully prepared meal together.
During the trip, if there is anything particular you are hoping to see, please ask and we will try to accommodate you. April 21 st After breakfast, we make our way back home. You can arrange an airport shuttle to fly from Osaka Airport (KIX) or Itami Airport (ITM) or take a taxi to the Kyoto station for your destination. DETAILS The trip will be co-led by Sensei Kazuaki Tanahashi and Roshi Joan Halifax with our main guide being Mitsue Nagase. Kaz is a renowned calligrapher, social activist, author, and translator of Dogen. Roshi Joan is Founding Abbot of Upaya Zen Center, a socially engaged Buddhist, and author. Kaz and Roshi are old friends and collaborators and share an abiding enthusiasm for the arts, culture, and history of Japan. The cost of the journey is $5450 for double occupancy, and $5950 for single occupancy. (Please note that at ryokans single occupancy is not available.) Note: In this trip, we will be staying partly in temple and Japanese style inns (Ryokans) for a deeper experience of culture. Lodging will be in shared rooms, except in those few places where we are able to get singles for our guests. We stay in Western style rooms in Kyoto and Gifu. Deposit: $500 reserves your place on the trip. To reserve a place, either register on-line with a credit card (Mastercard or VISA) or contact Roberta by phone: 505-986-8518 ext. 12 or email: registrar@upaya.org. Reservations cannot be held without a deposit. Balance: The balance of the cost of the pilgrimage is due by December 30, 2015. If the balance is not paid, you may lose your place to a person on the waiting list. Reservations made after December 30, 2015, require a remittance of the entire trip cost.
This trip costs includes: guide services, transportation inside Japan, meals unless otherwise specified on the itinerary, and lodging for the duration of the journey. Please note the trip fee does not cover: international airfare, transportation to/from airport to/from hotel, visas and other international arrangements, any extra days spent before or after the dates of the journey, excess baggage on the flights, phone calls and faxes, laundry, alcohol, coffee or other special beverages; meals, transportation and admission on free afternoons or evenings, admission for optional activities and medical or other insurance coverage. Trip medical coverage and cancellation insurance is strongly suggested. 2016 Cancellation Policy: Cancellation prior to December 30, 2015: $500 is nonrefundable. Cancellation from December 31, 2015 February 1, 2016: half of your total is non-refundable. Cancellation on February 2, 2016 forward: full balance + any supplements are non-refundable. In the unlikely event that the US currency exchange rate drops below 105 yen/dollar we will need to adjust the fees.