Japanese Official Web Site: Tocho Temple (No English Page) https://www.tochoji.net

General Information

Tocho Temple, home of the Fukuoka Daibutsu, is the Kyushu head temple of the Shingon Sect, a religious group. It was founded by the Buddhist icon Kukai in 806 (the first year of Daido) and is the first temple of the esoteric Shingon Sect, making it the oldest holy place in Japan. The name is said to originate from the wish that the teachings of the Shingon Sect would spread eastward and endure.

After completing his studies in China, then known as Tang, Kukai returned to Hakata. He purchased a hut to store the statues and teaching books he brought back from Tang. This hut, located near present-day Furukado Machi, was converted into a temple.

The temple was burned down and fell into disrepair during the conflicts of the Eiroku and Tensho periods. The second lord of Fukuoka Province, Kuroda Tadayuki, relocated and rebuilt the temple at its current site, establishing it as the family graveyard temple.

Tocho Temple is the first temple of the Pilgrimage of 88 Temples in Kyushu, one of the 36 holy places for Fudomyo God in Kyushu, and the 22nd temple of 24 holy places for Jizo God in Kyushu. This temple has a rich historical significance.

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the founder Kukai

The Big Buddha

The Big Buddha in Tocho Temple, called Fukuoka Big Buddha, was built for four years from 1988 (the 63rd year of Syowa). It is 10.8 meters high and 30 tons heavy, made of hinoki cypress wood, representing the sitting figure of Buddha. It is in the largest class of wooden sitting statues, prestigious enough to worth seeing.  

The number of 108 in its height represents the 108 human desires causing us to have some physical and mental pains. The back gives off the golden shining, called “Kouhai,” meaning “light back.” This also is what you should watch carefully.

Kouhai is 16.1 meters tall, carved with the group of seven gods and that of thirteen gods.  The surface is enshrined with tiny dot-looking more or less 500 buddhas.  This shows us fine art crafts, worth watching along with the Big one.  Don’t miss this.  But be careful, because you are not allowed to take any photos of this.

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Hell Walk

The Big Buddha pavilion is two storied, with the Statue on the second floor. Its pedestal is installed with the entrance to Hell Walk. This is free of charge. This Hell Walk has the meaning of experiencing the afterlife, rebirth and liberty from dirtiness and worries. Soon after you go through the entrance, you will see very elaborate eight pictures of hell. Going straight along, you will be surrounded with total darkness, where even adults may feel scared. The handrail installed there is the only help to go through there, just like God is guiding you.

When you go through holding this handrail, in darkness you have a chance to touch “the Ring of Light.” If you find and touch it, you are guaranteed to go to Heaven. If not, still going along in the darkness, you will reach the exit and see the picture of Heaven, and this is the end of the walk.

Hell Walk is not so long, but when you see the light from the exit, you surely feel relieved.  This is an unseal experience, so it is very popular among the visitors.

Main Pavillion

The main pavilion is installed with the buddha statues which are said to have been made by Kukai. These statues enshrined inside the building are the trip god of Senjukannou, Fudomyo and Kukai. These three statues are designated as national valuable historic assets.

The main statue of this temple, God with eleven faces and one thousand arms, is also hidden inside this main pavilion. This is as short as 87 centimeters tall, but it is said to have made in the Heian Peiond, designated as national valuable cultural assets.This statue is open to see only on 3rd of Feburatry, the day of Setubun Festival, 25th of June, the Kukai birthday Festival and on 20th of Ocotber, the praying day for the prevention of landslides. 

Rokkakudo

To the left side of the main gate is “Rokkakudo,” that is, a sexton shaped building, which was built in 1842 (the 13rd year of Tenpo). The merchant in Hakata named Bunngoya Eizou gathered money from the merchants west from Nagoya and had this built by the 8th name holder of shrine builder Ito Heizaemon. The roof is thatched with kaya and double-layered. Now it is designated as municipal cultural assets.

Grave Yard for Kuroda Family

The Kuroday Family was the rulers of Chikuzen Domain, today’s northern Fukuoka.

The three tombs are placed to the left of the main pavilion, with Rokakudo at the entrance of this graveyard.  Past Rokakudo, the group of five layered tombstones are lined. Tadayuki in the west side, Mituyuki in the center and Harutaka in the east side. Tadayuki’s tomb is said to be the second tallest among individual tombs. The three grave places remains just as when they were built, designated as municipal historic assets in 1995 (the 7th year of Heisei).

Five Storied Tower

The beautiful five-storied tower to the left of the main pavilion was all built of hinoki cypress woods and completed in the spring of the year 2011 (the 23rd year of Heisei) with the height of 26 meters.

On the roofed top story is Sorin (thrusted metallic pole) named “Kuirn” meaning “Nine Rings.” One of the rings, the bowl-shaped ring is stored with the pieces of the bones of Buddha, which are said to have brought home by Kukai.The inside of the first story is beautifully decorated with pictures of the Dainichi God (the Sun God) and flowers and birds.  These are painted by the Japanese painting artist Toriyama Rey. Next to the tower, you find a cherry tree with falling branches, which is always beautiful, no matter which season it is. This place is so photogenic.

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