About
Keiunji stands in a tranquil corner, away from the bustle of Kanagawa Ward in Yokohama City, enveloped in silence. Stepping into its precincts, one feels the flow of time slow down. This is an ancient temple of the Jodo sect, founded in the fourth year of Bun’an during the Muromachi period (1447), and it also has a history of being used as the French consulate at the time of Yokohama’s port opening. However, the reason this temple is affectionately known as “Urashima Temple” is because numerous anecdotes related to the legend of Urashima Taro are alive here.
Upon entering the grounds, the first thing that catches the eye is a water basin shaped like a turtle. Its charming appearance brings a smile to visitors’ faces. Proceeding further, the Urashima Kannon Hall stands quietly. In this hall is enshrined a statue of Kannon Bodhisattva, said to have been brought back by Urashima Taro from the Dragon Palace. The statue of Kannon stands gracefully on the back of a turtle, and it is said that Taro enshrined it here as a protective deity bestowed upon him by Princess Otohime. Normally, the statue can be glimpsed through the gap in the doors, but once every twelve years, in the Year of the Rat, it is fully unveiled, allowing visitors to feel its divinity up close. (minomushi.work)
In front of the gate of Keiunji stands a stone monument inscribed with “Urashima Kannon from the Dragon Palace, Urashima Temple.” At its base is carved a Bixi, the dragon’s child, powerfully supporting the monument. It seems to speak to the depth of the Urashima legend rooted in this area. (minomushi.work)
Also, within the grounds of Joboji Temple, which is located not far from Keiunji, there is a mysteriously shaped stone called the “Namida-ishi” (Tear Stone). This stone is said to be where Urashima Taro, after returning from the Dragon Palace, sat down and shed tears as he reminisced about days gone by. When the tide comes in, the stone becomes damp and its surface gets wet, as if it still conveys Taro’s sorrow. (oricon.co.jp)
Furthermore, in the vicinity of Keiunji, monuments remain for the “Foot-washing Well” and the “Foot-washing River,” where Urashima Taro is said to have washed his feet. These places quietly stand amidst residential areas, inviting visitors into the world of old tales. (oricon.co.jp)
Walking through the grounds of Keiunji, one feels truly immersed in a space where history and legend intersect. In this place where the story of Urashima Taro lives on, the past and present quietly speak to each other. Visitors, while soaking in the lingering echoes of a story that transcends time, will surely sense something that resonates deep within their hearts.