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Enjoy a special experience at shrines and temples which have been registered as World Heritage Sites and National Treasures

Update-Date: Jan 16, 2024

Author: SAVOR JAPAN

Enjoy a special experience at shrines and temples which have
been registered as World Heritage Sites and National Treasures

THE LEGENDARY JAPAN Project lets you experience Japan's unique culture and enjoy cuisine by a top chef in a special space.THE LEGENDARY JAPAN Project lets one rent special spaces for small groups in Japanese shrines and temples, which are registered as World Heritage Sites and National Treasures. These spaces normally do not allow visitors to enter. In these spaces, one can directly experience the unique culture of Japan and even enjoy cuisine prepared by a top chef. The contents of this premium tour grant visitors a special experience in places that even Japanese people cannot normally enter or experience, based on the themes of food and culture.

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Many overseas tourists to Japan say that they come to the country to experience its World Heritage Sites and to enjoy Japanese food. Recent years have even seen more repeat visitors to Japan, and their values are changing from "product consumption" to "experience consumption," with content that one can directly experience. More and more visitors demand a deeper and more special experience.

In the rankings of popular tourist spots for overseas visitors to Japan, shrines and temples such as Fushimi Inari-taisha in Kyoto and Todaiji Temple in Nara occupy the top spots. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are 3 of the top 5 gourmet cities in the world, ranking in the Michelin Guide, and are known as gourmet cities. From this, it can be seen that Japan's food, shrines, and temples are gaining more attention.

In recent years, there have been more foreigners taking an interest in Japanese culture and who can use chopsticks well.

ELternal Co., Ltd. manages this project, which lets one experience Japan's proud food and culture at shrines and temples, which are world heritage sites and national treasures. Their project is titled THE LEGENDARY JAPAN and lets visitors rent the Emperor's residence and dining hall in the World Heritage Site Ninnaji Temple, located in Kyoto. Visitors usually cannot enter these spaces. In 2022, ELternal invited Mr. Dai Takayama of Mesebaba, an Italian restaurant in Omotesando neighborhood, Tokyo, which is hard to get a reservation for, and in 2023, they invited Mr. Masayoshi Nishikawa of Gion Nishikawa, a star-ranked Kaiseki cuisine restaurant in Kyoto, and began an experience tour that lets visitors enjoy cuisine.

Now we'll introduce THE LEGENDARY JAPAN Project, starting with a direct experience tour held at Ninnaji Temple in Kyoto on November 8, 2023.

Enjoying a special experience at the world heritage site Ninnaji Temple

Ninnaji, located in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture, is registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site. This picture shows the entranceway and Niomon temple gate of Ninnaji.

The characters for "Reiwa," the current era name in Japan/ Behind that is the Five-Story Pagoda of Ninnaji.

Omuro cherry blossom trees, which are known to bloom late. They are designated as a National Scenic Spot.

Ninnaji, the location for this event, is a temple that was constructed in the year 888 (year 4 of the Ninna era). Emperor Uda became a priest and resided at Ninnaji as its first head priest. Successive generations of head priests would be from the Imperial household. However, in 1867 (year 3 of the Keio era), Emperor Junnin, the 30th head priest, returned to secular life. This led to the end of the long history of Imperial family members serving as head priests at Ninnaji, which was a miya-monzeki, or temple, in which imperial priests lived.

It is currently known as the head temple for the Omuro School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. The grounds are lined with historical buildings that were built during the Edo era, such as the Five-Story Pagoda and Niomon Gate. It has a collection of many valuable treasures, including the Amida Triad Statues of the Buddha, the principle object of worship here, as well as Buddhist paintings and crafts. In 1994 (year 6 of the Heisei era), it was registered as a World Heritage Site.

Ninnaji English Site

Check here for information on this project.

THE LEGENDARY JAPAN Project

~Program~
Opening
Kaibyaku no Gi (Kannondo memorial service)

Kechien no Gi (Otezuna Sanpai Ritual)

Josaishofuku no Gi (Goma Prayer)

Kenran no Gi (Kondo / Five Great Wisdom Kings Mural visit)

Kyoen no Gi (Dining hall / Gion Nishikawa)

Kaibyaku no Gi (Kannondo memorial service)

Kannondo - Thirty-three Buddha statues, including the statue of the Thousand Armed Kannon, the temple's main deity.

The first place visited was Kannondo, an important cultural property. The Thousand Armed, Thousand Eyed, Eleven Faced Avalokiteshvara, which is enshrined here, has a thousand arms, a thousand eyes, and eleven faces. Among the Kannons, this one has the strongest power to save people, and the king of Kannon is said to be the Lotus King. Even now, Ninnaji's ascetic monks are performing religious services here, and this is an extremely important hall for performing ceremonies that are important to these ascetic monks. As this is a hall for ascetic monks, this special space is usually not open to the public. The Kaibyaku no Gi, a Buddhist service that signifies opening, was held at this event. As things quiet down, the Sutras recited by the priests echo throughout.

Pictures of the partitions in the inner temple of the Kannondo. They are still so beautiful that it does not seem as if 373 years have passed.

After the Kaibyaku no Gi, visitors viewed the partition pictures in the inner temple (back side) of Kannondo. Murals are painted surrounding the temple's principle object of worship, the Thousand Armed Kannon Bodhisattva, enshrined on a shumidan pedestal. The 33 Kannon Bodhisattvas, as well as the Six Paths in Buddhism that people head for after they die, are depicted here. This is also not open to the public, and it is a very precious mural.

Kechien no Gi (Otezuna Sanpai Ritual)

The Thousand Armed Strings stretch out from the "Thousand Armed, Thousand Eyed, Eleven Faced Avalokiteshvara" to the front of the hall.

Holding the two Thousand Armed Strings and making a greeting.

After the Kaibyaku no Gi ends, the Otezuna Sanpai ritual is held next. Two Thousand Armed Strings are stretched out from the ”Thousand Armed, Thousand-Eyed, Eleven-Faced Avalokiteshvara” inside the hall to the outside. Holding these strings and praying means that one will receive the benefit of deeper connections by touching the five colored strings that stretch out from the Kannon's hand. It is a religious worship method.

Josaishofuku no Gi (Goma Prayer)

Daikokudo, where the Fudo Gomaku ritual is held.

12 kinds of gomagi sticks. Visitors choose according to their wishes, such as one's earnest prayers being answered and peace and prosperity in one's household.

Visitors write their own name on the gomagi sticks while chanting wishes in their hearts.

By praying for the coming of deities within the heart at the altar, presenting offerings and the previously written gomagi sticks, and paying respect to the deities, one can receive blessings.

Next, the Josaishofuku no Gi, a goma prayer ritual for warding off disaster and bringing good fortune, was held at Daikokudo. The goma prayer involves priests graciously praying for the name and wish written on the gomagi sticks. This prayer method has an over-2000-year history and uses the sacred flame with the power of Buddha. Since ancient times, many people, including the nobility, have relied on the power of goma to make their wishes come true, such as wishes for peace in the land and bountiful harvests. In this sacred ceremony, visitors witness the rising flames from the heated gomagi sticks and offerings before their eyes, and by making wishes together while covered in smoke, they pray for the purification and fulfillment of their wishes.

Kenran no Gi (Kondo / Five Great Wisdom Kings Mural visit)

During the Kan'ei era (1624–1644), the main temple (Shishinden) of the Imperial Palace was moved and reconstructed as the Kondo (main hall).

The Amida Buddha, the temple's principle object of worship, is enshrined here. It is normally not open to the public and is only open for special viewings.

Now to the Kondo, a national treasure. The Kondo is a result of the moving and reconstruction of the Shishinden (a building for ceremonies such as the ascension of the Emperor to the throne), which was once in the Kyoto Imperial Palace and has now been renovated for use as a hall. The Shishinden remains in Ninnaji are the oldest among such buildings currently existing in Japan and have thus been designated as National Treasures.

Mural of the Five Great Wisdom Kings, located in the back hall of Kondo. It is still as colorful as ever, even after around 380 years have passed.

At 2.2m in height and 3.7m in width, this depiction of the Acala is impactful. Even the patterns on the left and right columns are beautiful.

The mural of the Five Great Wisdom Kings is painted in the back hall of the Kondo, that is, the back of the Shumidan pedestal. It is a precious mural that even priests can only see with a dim hand lamp. Until 2018, it was not open to the public for 372 years. The Great Five Wisdom Kings, including Acala as well as Vajrayaksa, Trailokyavijaya, Kundali, and Yamantaka, are depicted across the columns in great detail. Visitors were able to get a special look at this precious mural decorated with beautiful patterns on the columns.

Kyoen no Gi (Dining hall / Gion Nishikawa)

The Kyoen no Gi, held at the dining hall.

Mr. Masayoshi Nishikawa is the owner of Gion Nishikawa, an authentic Kaiseki cuisine restaurant where it is difficult to get a reservation.

The Kyoen no Gi was held in the dining hall. The dining hall was made by renovating and maintaining a storehouse from the late Edo era. In addition to the kitchen, it has 2 rooms with table seats, which both use clay walls, Japanese paper, Japanese lacquer, and stones.

Mr. Masayoshi Nishikawa is in charge of cuisine at Gion Nishikawa, a restaurant located in Shimogawara-dori Street, a place where the atmospheric townscape with stone pavement remains. Gion Nishikawa is widely known as a restaurant difficult to get reservations for. The chef also has a reputation for providing delicious foods as well as excellent conversation and service through his hospitality.
Now let's introduce the menu that was served that day.

Kaiseki Dish Mackerel Sushi / Nameko mushrooms, salmon roe with grated daikon radish / Japanese blue crab with roe / Monkfish liver with monkfish liver sauce and pink peppers

Small appetizers in a persimmon vessel / flatfish marinated in kelp / prawns / striped jack fish / caviar / pot herbs / dressing (bowl) white tilefish / somen noodles with dashi broth / tied mitsuba plant / red leaf sweet potato / ginseng / pine needles yuzu citrus fruit / white truffles

Kaiseki Far Side Dish: red sea bream / Karasumi powder / rock tripe (lichen) / wasabi / roasted sake

Oi Yakimono (roasted foods) Roast beef / Awaji onion pot-au-feu / chestnuts / thick starchy sauce / ground Japanese pepper "steamed vegetables" Nishikawa style Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup

Yakimono (broiled food) Blackthroat fish / jade gingko / roasted matsutake mushrooms / dried seacumber ovary

In this event, Mr. Nishikawa treated guests to the course that is on his restaurant's menu. Enjoying food from a restaurant that is hard to get reservations at, in a special place that regular visitors usually can't enter, is truly a special food experience.

Starting with the apertif, with a yuzu scent, the small soup with small turnips cooked in white miso warms one's stomach. With the small appetizers, which use the fall ingredient persimmon, guests could eat extremely delicious flatfish marinated in kelp. The course continues on to the Kaiseki Far Side Dish with Nishikawa-style red sea bream covered in Karasumi. In addition, the soup bowl with plump white tilefish and gentle broth is luxuriously covered with truffles. The Yakimono, which guests waited impatiently for, was a masterpiece that included blackthroat fish with roasted matsutake mushrooms. The Oi Yakimono surprised guests with its roast beef appearance, and the Kaiseki Dish will make one's heart dance. Guests were surprised at the steamed vegetables, which take the traditional and high-quality soup of Fujian cuisine, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and interpret it through Mr. Nishikawa's style. This soup is cooked with high-quality ingredients over several days. For the last serving, soup and an eel rice bowl were served.

Mr. Nishikawa gives a food presentation with a lively talk. The guests seem to be enjoying themselves.

THE LEGENDARY JAPAN Project lets guests reserve famous shrines and temples registered as World Heritage Sites and National Treasures and lets them enjoy food by a top chef while fully experiencing Japanese culture. Through Japanese food and culture, which are the pride of Japan, it is gaining attention for its content, which is effective at attracting high-value travelers who want deeper and more special experiences.

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Check here to see information on the Kyoen no Gi, held at the Shinden, a building at the center of the palace in Ninnaji, the venue for the 2022 event.

Check here to see information on past events.

Information on future events will be announced on the official website for ELternal Co., Ltd., so please check that site.

ELternal Co., Ltd. Official Site

https://elternal.co.jp/tourism/legendary-japan/

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This event's chef - Mr. Masayoshi Nishikawa of "Gion Nishikawa"

Mr. Nishikawa was born in 1975 in the Muromachi area of Kyoto. Having been raised experiencing delicious and beautiful things, he longed to be a chef of Kyoto cuisine. After graduating high school, he began walking the path of the chef. He trained at famous restaurants such as Gion Sasaki, and after gaining experience as the head chef at Warabi no Sato, he opened Gion Nishikawa in 2009. His motto is "wide at the entrance, high at the exit," and he serves customers with his easy-to-like smile and casual speaking style.

Gion Nishikawa

Open: [Weekdays, Saturday, National Holidays, Day before National Holidays] Lunch: 12:00 - 15:00 *Please come at 12:00 / Dinner: 18:00 - 20:00 (Last order: 20:00) *Food served at customers' pace.
Closed: Irregular
Average price: [Dinner] 20,000 JPY / [Lunch] 5,000 JPY
Access: A seven minute walk from Kyoto City Bus Higashiyama-Yasui bus stop/ From Higashioji-dori, take Kodaiji-minamimon-dori, turn left on Shimogawara-dori and keep going for 50 meters. It is located on a back alley.
Address: 473 Shimogawaracho Shimogawaradori Yasakatoriimae Sagaru, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Map
More Details

Ninnaji
Ninnaji is a World Heritage Site and the head temple for the Omuro School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism

Address: 33 Omuro-Ouchi, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Tel: +81-75-461-1155

Opening Hours 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Reception ends at 4:30 pm)

Ninnaji Official Site (English): https://ninnaji.jp/en/

Disclaimer: All information is accurate at time of publication.

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