Why do Wakasa’s treasures still exist? One reason is that the capital sought its water as a symbol of immortality. That deep bond of trade allowed them to exchange the water for Buddhist culture from the capital.

Your treasure hunt through Wakasa continues. From here on, you can shake off the fetters of the itinerary and explore freely.

Before that, though, let’s take a look at the map, at the area where Todai-ji Temple is. In other words, the former location of the Imperial Palace. It is located south of Wakasa. Then, try exploring Ise and Awaji, both equally important pillars of gastronomy for the capital. These regions align in a beautiful triangle, with the Imperial Palace of Nara at its center. Though the Palace moved to Kyoto in later years, that beauty remains. Bounty from the Pacific Ocean, the closest breadbasket to the capital, traveled through Ise. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea passed through Awaji, and the blessings of the Sea of Japan traveled through Wakasa. These routes show us how a nation was formed through food, humanity’s foundation.

Now, let’s reflect on the subject of Buddhism in Japan. Prince Shōtoku brought and preserved knowledge of the six Buddhist sects of China. Jianzhen, a Chinese monk known as Ganjin in Japan, famously spread the Ritsu sect, while another famous monk named Ryōben spread the Kegon sect. Ryōben built what would become Todai-ji Temple as well as what would become Jingu-ji in Wakasa. This points to the theory that Ryōben’s homeland was Unose. He would later become Todai-ji Temple’s first leader, but perhaps Ryōben’s story symbolizes the connection between Todai-ji Temple’s Water-drawing and Jingu-ji Temple’s Water-sending ceremonies.

Back then, Buddhism was a new religion and served a different purpose from modern Buddhism. It was not just a personal practice but a national academic pursuit, not unlike modern university studies. Centuries passed, periods changed from Heian to Kamakura, and Buddhism transformed into the Jōdo and Zen sects, which were practiced for personal salvation. Temples need believers to survive, so they prioritized creating a new story designed to teach Buddhism to the masses. Thus, a new history permeated every region of Japan … but why did it come about? No one knows, but what we do know is that we are free to interpret it ourselves.

Narrated by Happyakubikuni (voiced by Kate Beck)

ON THE TRIP Editorial Staff

Shiga Akihito, Honma Hiroshi, Nara Otoha
Translation: Jean Paul Souki Pacheco, Autumn Smith, Kevin Rea

*This guide was created based on documents and interviews and includes some interpretation done by us at ON THE TRIP. Theories differ between experts, so try to find out what really happened on your travels!