Once upon a time, a Chinese phoenix dropped a feather as it was flying in the sky. This feather was delivered to the Emperor, who was overjoyed by this symbol of peace and built a temple to honor the famous monk Gyoki who delivered it.
The Ekādaśamukha statue here is an important cultural heritage site located in Haga-ji. but you may notice something strange with its right hand reaching out to save those in need. Compared to the simplicity of the statue at Tada-ji, this statue is glamorous and reflects the splendor of the Heian Era, when famous artists such as Sei Shonagon and Murasaki Shikibu wrote masterpieces that changed Japanese culture.
However, we want to turn your attention to the Bhaisajyaguru statue behind that of Ekādaśamukha. Why are there so many Bhaisajyaguru statues in Wakasa? There is one in Wakasa-hiko Shrine, Jingu-ji shrine, Kokubun-ji Temple and in Tada-ji. In an age where the sick could do little more than pray for a cure, it made sense that Wakasa, which supplied the capital with food and holy water said to bring immortality, might have been equated with the Bhaisajyaguru, a deity able to cure all ills, by those coming to pray.
This particular Bhaisajyaguru statue was once located in the port town of Nishizu. However, during the Meiji Period, when Buddhist temples were being destroyed in pursuit of Western modernization, this statue was moved here to Haga-ji. Many Japanese temples were destroyed or permanently damaged during this period, but those statues that managed to come out unscathed were moved to temples in the religious haven of Wakasa and protected. This is another reason why there are so many hidden treasures left here.
Nishizu, which lies at the foot of this mountain, was once a town prospering from the economic benefits of seaside trade and deep-rooted ties to the Tohoku area. These ties can be seen in the similarities in pottery styles in these 2 regions — Wakasa Lacquer and Tsugaru Lacquer. Also, Taga-ji was rebuilt during the Muromachi Period thanks to the generous donations of people from the Tohoku area.
