About
In a corner of Higashimizumoto, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, when you step into the tranquil grounds of Nanzoin Temple, you will find a stone statue renowned as the “Shibarare Jizo” (Bound Jizo). This Jizo is believed to grant all kinds of wishes, such as protection from theft, preventing movement, warding off misfortune, and matchmaking. Throughout the year, its figure is tightly wrapped with ropes tied by worshippers.
The origin of this Jizo dates back to an anecdote from the Edo period involving the famous magistrate Ooka Echizen-no-kami Tadasuke and his “Ooka Judgment.” One day, a clerk from a draper’s shop had a bolt of cloth stolen while resting in front of Nanzoin’s gate. Ooka Echizen declared, “The Jizo is equally guilty,” and had the Jizo bound with rope and taken to the magistrate’s office. To the onlookers who gathered to witness this spectacle, Ooka imposed a fine of one bolt of cloth each for “entering the magistrate’s office without permission.” Among these, the stolen item was found, and the group of thieves was apprehended in one sweep. Since this event, a custom arose of tying a rope around the Jizo when making a wish and untying it when the wish is fulfilled, leading to the Jizo being affectionately known as the “Shibarare Jizo.” (shibararejizo.or.jp)
Every New Year’s Eve, from 11 p.m., the chief priest conducts the “Rope Untying Memorial Service.” The countless ropes tied over the year are untied and burned in the fire of a ritual prayer. Afterward, as the temple bell rings in the New Year, worshippers tie new ropes around the Jizo with fresh wishes. This solemn ceremony is accompanied by gagaku (traditional court music), deeply moving all who attend. (shibararejizo.or.jp)
Nanzoin Temple has a long history, beginning when the Heian period poet Ariwara no Narihira, after encountering a boating accident on the Sumida River in which people lost their lives, copied the Lotus Sutra and enshrined it in a mound to mourn the dead. Nanzoin was founded beside this mound, and the temple path is designed to resemble the Sumida River and Narihirabashi Bridge. The white granite gravel represents the Sumida River, the approach represents Narihirabashi, and the stone on the right symbolizes Narihira’s boat stone, evoking scenes of the past for visitors. (shibararejizo.or.jp)
Within the temple grounds grows the “Shotoku Pine,” said to be 450 years old, providing tranquility and peace to visitors. Behind the grounds stretches the beautiful Mizumoto Park, where visitors can enjoy the changing nature of the four seasons. After visiting the temple, taking a walk through the park offers a peaceful moment to calm the mind. (shibararejizo.or.jp)
Nanzoin’s “Shibarare Jizo” is a precious presence that conveys the faith and traditions continuing from the Edo period to the present. The custom of tying a rope with a wish and untying it when fulfilled has continued to support the hearts of many people across generations. Why not visit this place, feel the breath of history and culture, and quietly put your hands together in prayer?