Pilgrimage 2012
26 March - 2 April
NONA is sponsering a pilgrimage to Japan in the early spring of 2012. We will visit historical sites from our founders life and important Temples to our order. This will include, Kuon Ji - Minobusan, Honmon Ji - Ikegami, Kamakura and Seichochi (Chiba), Izu and Shichimen-zan. If you are interested in going on pilgrimage please talk to your minister or contact Bishop Kanai at the Las Vegas Kannon Temple for more information. A formal registration form is on this page for download. Please don't wait for the form to let us know you are interested and would like to go. Retreats are a great oppertunity to deepen faith and learn more deeply about our lineage and the Dharma. The time for the retreat will come quikly. Talk to your minister today.
This page updated 20 October 2011
Date: March 26 - April 3, 2012
Itinerary: see below
Cost: $1920.00* plus airfare per person (price calculated by a exchange rate of $1 = 75 Yen. Payment is due in full by February 20, 2012.)
Info: See your local minister or call, write Bishop Kanai
*price may change. this is a approximate price based on the exchange rate to Yen. price includes bus fairs, hotels, bo's, some meals. Airfare and some meals are not included in this amount.
Itinerary (This is not a complete Itinerary): PDF version of Itinerary can be downloaded here.
Included Meals :
B= Breakfast; L= lunch; D= Dinner
March 26 Monday
NARITA AIRPORT - TOKYO
Arrive Narita Airport - Find your own way to accomodation at Shinagawa Prince Hotel. * There are several conveinent ways to get to Shinagawa from Narita, including JR train and Buses.
March 27 Tuesday
TOKYO - CHIBA - TOKYO
B
7:30 am - Bus pick up group at Shinagawa Prince Hotel
10:00 am - Visit Seicho-Ji
SEICHO-JI
322-1 Kiyosumi, Amatsu Kominato-cho,
Awa-gun, Chiba Prefecture
This is the sacred place where Nichiren Shonin entered the priesthood, and the main temple where he powerfully declared the establishment of a new order based on the Lotus Sutra (Rikkyo kaishu). The temple is near the Shonin's birthplace in Kominato, quite a steep climb up Mt. Kiyosumi by car. The bracing air is filled with a sense of austerity and profundity appropriate for a sacred place of training. See more information about this Temple on the 2006 pilgrimage web page. This page will open in a new window.11:15 - Lunch
L
14:45 pm - Visit Hokekyo-Ji
Shochuzan Hokekyo-ji Temple
2-10-1 Nakayama Ichikawa-shi, Chiba-ken
Nichiren Shonin avoided the Matsubagayatsu Persecution by going to Shimousa with the support of Jonin Toki, the head of Gozoku (prominent family) in Wakamiya as well as a devoted follower. In August of 1260, the Hokke-do (later Hokke-ji) was built within Toki's residence. See more information about this Temple on the 2006 pilgrimage web page. This page will open in a new window.
15:45 - return to bus for trip back to Shinagawa Prince Hotel
17:00 - Arrive Shinagawa Prince Hotel
Free time for evening
March 28 Wednesday
TOKYO - KAMAKURA
B
8:00 am - Pivate bus pick up
8:40 am - Visit Honmon-Ji
Ikegami Honmon Temple
City: 1-1-1, Ikegami, Ota-ku, Tokyo
Nichiren Shonin founded Honmonji Temple (its sango, or official designation, is Choei-san or “ever-flourishing mountain”) just before his death at the request of Munenaka Ikegami who offered 69,384 tsubo of land (about 210,000 square meters) which corresponds to the number of characters in the Lotus Sutra. See more information about this Temple on the 2006 pilgrimage web page. This page will open in a new window.
9:30 - Back on Bus, travel to Kamakura
11:00 - Visit Myohon-Ji then Lunch
Chokozan Myohonji
Founded in: 1260 by Yoshimoto Hiki, Founding priest: Nichiro (1245-1320)
15-1, Omachi 1-chome, Kamakura, Kanagawa 248-0007
The Temple stands peacefully at the foot of a hill as if it has been nestling there for centuries. As soon as Nichiren Shonin was pardoned from his exile (after submission of the Rissho Ankoku Ron) and returned to Kamakura, Yoshimoto provided him with his residence for a lecture hall. Following Nichiren Shonin's guidance Yoshimoto decided to establish a temple to console the souls of his father, sister and other family members. Construction of the temple was completed about 50 years after his family was nearly exterminated. The temples official name Chokozan came from his posthumous title and Myohon from his mother. This is one of the oldest Nichiren order temples in Kamakura. See more information about this Temple on the 2006 pilgrimage web page. This page will open in a new window.
L
13:00 pm - Visit Tsujiseppo
Tsujiseppo - Located on one of the old main boulevards of Kamakura (Komachi-Oji). It was here that Nichiren Shonin stood on the street corner and proclaimed and taught the Dharma to the onlooking crowd.
13:30 - Visit Kosoku-Ji
Gyojizan Kosoku-Ji
Mitsunori Yakoya remodeled his residence to a temple and presented it to the Nichiren order, and asked Priest Nichiro to be the first chief priest. Thus, the present-day Temple was established. Mitsunori can be pronounced "Kosoku" in Chinese ideographs, hence the name of Kosokuji. The first part of the official name "Gyoji" came from his father's name "Yukitoki", which also can read Gyoji in Chinese characters. The cavern in which Priest Nichiro and others were detained, exists today at the northern corner behind the graveyard. See more information about this Temple on the 2006 pilgrimage web page. This page will open in a new window.
14:40 - Visit Ryuko-Ji
Jakkozan Ryuko-ji
Founded in 1337 by Priest Nippo This site is recognized as an execution ground for criminals during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), and its monuments stand at the left-hand side of the Temples outer gate. Nichiren Shonin stayed in Kamakura for nearly 20 years engaged in missionary work emphasizing the importance of the Lotus Sutra. His devotion to the Lotus Sutra was so intense that he consistently refuted other orders’ doctrines showing them to be heretical or divergent from the correct teachings of Buddhism. His criticism provoked hostility toward him not only from other orders but also from the Shogunate authorities. As a result, he faced serious persecutions four times during his stay in Kamakura, and in the last instance in 1271, was sentenced to death by beheading when he accused the Shogunate of employing incorrect doctrines. On September 12, 1271, Nichiren Shonin was brought to the execution ground; everyone knew he would die within hours. However, at the moment an executioner was about to strike his neck with a sword, asserts the legend, a tremendous clap of thunder roared throughout the sky accompanied by a wild streak of lightning. Aghast and petrified, the executioner was unable to behead Nichiren Shonin as he thought a miracle had been wrought. See more information about this Temple on the 2006 pilgrimage web page. This page will open in a new window.
15:40 - Back on Bus for new accomodations at Kamakura Prince Hotel
16:15 - Arrive Hotel
D
March 29 Thursday
KAMAKURA - IZU - MINOBU
B
8:00 am - Private bus pick up
10:45 - Visit Butsugen-Ji and Lunch
L
Kaikozan Butsugen-Ji
2-30 Monomigaoka Ito-shi Shizuoka-ken
This Temple is closely related to the Izu Persecution. This is the place where Nichiren Shonin was Exiled, and is the place where his Zuishin-butsu statue rests. Nearby is where the famous Manaita-iwa (chopping board rock) is located. This is where Nichiren Shonin was deserted to die as the ocean tide rose. Funamori Yasabura rescued Nichiren Shonin. Him and his wife rest at Renkei-Ji which is in the same area. See more information about this Temple on the NBIC web page. This page will open in a new window.
13:00 pm - Visit Renkei-Ji
Renkei-Ji
See Butsugen-Ji above.
14:00 - Back on Bus to Minobusan
18:00 - Arrive Minobusan at new accomodation, Hinosawabo (A Bo is like a bed and breakfast for pilgrimes)
D
March 30 Friday
MINOBU
6:00 am - Morning Service at Kuon-Ji
Minobu-San Kuon-Ji
Minobusan Kuon-Ji was established by Nichiren Shonin (1222 - 1282), the founder of the Nichiren order of Buddhism. As the Nichiren Shu's Grand Head Temple, as well as the site of Nichiren Shonin's tomb, Kuon-Ji is the most sacred place of worship for the order's followers. See more information about this Temple on the NBIC web page. This page will open in a new window.
Activities all day at Minobusan Kuon-Ji including Rinbanhoshi, Gobyosho veneration, Okunoinshishinkaku.
B
D
March 31 Saturday
MINOBU
6:00 am - Morning Service
B
8:00 - Taxi from Bo to Shiraito Water Fall
8:40 - Climb Mt. Shichimensan
Arrive Keishin-in at top of Shichimensan - depends on hiking speed. (approximatly 8 hours) We will be staying at Keishin-in for the night. *Shichimensan is a vigorous climb. There are no ropeways or roads up the mountain. It is recomended to wear white shirt and pants for this pilgrim's climb. Comfortable white shoes are also highly recommended. For those who wish to not do the climb, their will be room at Hinosawabo and you can enjoy another day in Minobu at the head Temple.
L
D
April 1 Sunday
MINOBU - SHIMOBE ONSEN
6:00 am - Morning Service
B
8:00 am - Hike down the Mountain different path than way up.
12:00 pm - Arrive at Sumise and have lunch
L
13:00 - Leave for Shimobe onsen (Onsen - hot spring hotel)
14:00 pm - Arrive Shimobe-Onsen, stay at Morita Hotel (webpage in Japanese)
D
April 2 Monday
SHIMOBE ONSEN - TOKYO
B
8:30 am - Leave hotel and walk about 10 minutes to JR train station.
9:25 - Train departs for Tokyo
12:33 pm - arrive Shinagawa Tokyo
Stay at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel
April 3 Tuesday
TOKYO - NARITA AIRPORT
B
Departure for Home
The cost for this schedule is $1920.00 per person not including air fare.
Registration Dead Line is February 20, 2012, Fee will have to be paid in full by this date.
Registration form can be downloaded here. Please print your form and mail it to Bishop Shokai Kanai (address below).
For more information contact your minister or the NONA Bishop, Shokai Kanai Shonin.
Shokai Kanai Shonin
Nichiren Buddhist Kannon Temple of Nevada
3920 Spencer Street
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
Phone (702) 396-6276
email revkanai@gmail.com
1. The price is based on Oct. 12, 2011, The exchanging rate is $1 = 75 Yen,
2. The price is based on 25 people, so the price may change depending on the current rate and number of participants,
3. Hotel room is based on two persons in a room, Shuku-Bo is based on several people in a large room,
4. The price includes accommodations, Bus Tour, English guide, ropeway, Taxie from Minobusan and Shichimensan, 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners, okai-cho, and travel insurance while in Japan.
6. Option for Shichimen San climbing: if you do not participate, you can stay another day at Minobu,
7. The dead line for the application will be February 20, 2012 with full payment,
8. The check must be payable to NONA (Nichiren Buddhist Order of North America),
9. A gyoe (white pilgrim's coat with omandala gohonzon on its back) is available for purchase, Ask your minister.
10. White shirt, pants and comfortable white shoes are recommended for climbing Shichimen san.
11. Airfare to and from Tokyo: limousine bus or JR Train from and to Narita – Shinagawa Prince Hotel –Narita is your own.
2006 NONA Pilgrimage pics and story. This link will open a new window.
