The State, Aristocracy, Big Business and Okunoin

Shingon Buddhism has been very closely tied to the State and supported by the aristocracy since its inception by Kobo Daishi in 816. The latter association giving rise to the term ‘Aristocratic Buddhism’. While many temples in the Danjo Garan (seperate reviews), and elsewhere in Koyasan, were built at the request of, or in memory of, former Japanese Emperors, high ranking military officials and the like, nowhere are these associations more evident than here in the Okunoin Cemetery.

In addition to being the resting place of Kobo Daishi, the cemetery is liberally endowed with the remains and ashes (in more recent times) of royalty, feudal lords, samurai warriors, military officials, authors and the rich, powerful and famous – in addition to monks, of course, and some ordinary mortals. Many more, while not buried here, have memorials here. Money and position speaks for those seeking eternal rest at Okunoin.

Given its links with the State, the military and the powerful it is not surprising that the cemetery should contain war memorials and indeed it contains many. While not specifically looking for war memorials I came across two.

The first of these was the white winged structure (picture 1 – taken from Ichinohashi Bridge and 2) right just inside the main entrance at Ichinohashi commemorating students who died in the Pacific War.

The second one I encountered related to a much earlier war – Japan’s second invasion of Korea in 1597-1598. Interestingly, the inscription on the tablet which now relays the story of this invasion is in English. It was installed in 1908 by Shimazu Tadashige a direct descendent of General Shimazu Yoshihiro who played a key role in the invasion.

Despite initial international allusions, this is not a typical war memorial recording a victory but rather a memorial to the fallen, on both sides – or as the adjacent plaque calls it, a “Memorial for both friend and foe during the invasion of Korea”. This memorial stands within the grave area of the Shimazu family.

This trait of memorials being to both friend and foe is carried through to other war memorials in the cemetery and so – while I didn’t see it – there is a memorial to all who died during the Japanese invasion of North Borneo during WWII – replete with the flags of Japan, Australia and Malaysia.

Not all the memorials refer to enemy losses and many refer only to Japanese losses. This seems to surprise some but in reality Japan was just yet another power seeking to expand its empire by war.

My title refers to ‘Big Business’.

The desire to be close to Kobo Daishi, in eternal rest, in the hope of receiving salvation results in a great demand to be buried or to have a memorial in Okunoin. Neither comes cheap and to-day few can afford it – especially when they have to compete with Japan’s largest corporations some of which such as Kirin Beer, Nissan and Toyota have plots or memorials here for their most senior staff.

These memorials/plots can be found in the newer part of the cemetery, away from the traditional ceremonial walk from Ichinohashi bridge to Kobo Diashi’s Shrine. Also in this newer part of the cemetery you will find a few more novel memorials such as the rocket depicted in my final picture. I can only assume that the owner of this hopes for an extra speedy ascension from eternal meditation to Nirvana, when the time comes. Its presence here reminded me of the presence of equally misplaced rockets at a flower show in Pyongyang, North Korea, but that’s another story.

Okunoin is free to enter and open at at all hours. The main cemetery entrance via Ichinohashi bridge is about 15 minutes walk from the town centre (tourist office) or a short bus ride (during daytime only).

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For my next KOYASAN review click HERE.
To start reading at the beginning of my Koyasan reviews click HERE.

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