瑞光寺と雪鯨橋

Zuikoji is said to have been founded by Prince Shotoku and stood on what is now the grounds of Osaka University of Economics. It was a Rinzai Zen temple, one of the halls belonging to Sanboji at its height, but its buildings burned in a fire in the Kenmu years (1334-1336). In Kan'ei 20 (1643) a Rinzai monk called Tennen, from the province of Iyo, came here, set up Kanzeon Bosatsu as the principal image, invited the Zen master Hakuin as head, named the temple Shigetsuji and restored it. Everything from the splendid halls to the temple treasures was lost in the great air raid of June of Showa 20 (1945), except the eleven-headed Kannon, the principal image. The temple was rebuilt in Showa 59 (1984) and stands so today. Over Kosaichi pond in the grounds is Setsugeikyo, a bridge made of whale bone, thought to be the only one of its kind in the country. When Tanju, the fourth abbot, was travelling in Nanki in Horeki 6 (1756), the fishermen of Taijiura, now Taiji in Wakayama prefecture, asked him to pray for a good catch, since the catch had been poor. Tanju refused at first, saying that taking life is one of the five precepts, but in the end he prayed. In thanks for the great catch he was given thirty ryo and eighteen whale bones, and the bridge is said to have been made as a memorial for the whales and as a prayer that every living thing be held precious. The present bridge is the sixth and was rebuilt in Heisei 18 (2006).

Translated from the Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City tourist listings (観光施設一覧, CC BY 4.0).