You can see the sign for Zenkoji Temple as soon as you exit the Nagano Station gate, which they say has five pigeon images hidden within the sign. Can you find them?
While searching for the pigeons, you may notice something peculiar about the character “zen” of “Zenkoji.” Doesn’t it look a bit like a cow’s face? Speaking of cows, there’s a folktale about a cow that led people to Zenkoji. It goes like this:
Once upon a time, a mean and greedy old woman lived in a village a short distance away from Zenkoji. One day when she was doing laundry, a cow appeared out of nowhere and one of her white cloths that she had just hung to dry got caught on its horn. She tried to get it back, but the cow ran away. She chased the cow all day until the sun started to set. That was when she realized she had arrived at Zenkoji Temple.
Night soon fell, and the cow entered the main hall of Zenkoji. Naturally, the woman followed it inside, maintaining a safe distance. She lost sight of the cow in the dimly lit hall but noticed something on the floor at her feet. It was the cow’s drool, but its shape spelled out something she could decipher in the moonlight. The drool read:
“This is not a cow’s prank. This is your guide to the way of Buddha.” She was suddenly filled with gratitude and respect for Buddha who had sent her a personalized message. She decided to pray, and that was when she found the white cloth that had brought her here in the first place.
By the way, take a mental note of the stone that’s right under the Zenkoji sign at Nagano station. It’s engraved with the word “Juhachicho,” which denotes the number 18. What does it mean? Let it simmer in the back of your mind as we continue.