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Pilgrimages---Canton to Chichibu

Pilgrimages to Kannon and Jizo Bosatsu---East and West

Mark W. MacWilliams, Author

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Shimabuji Keychain

Shimabuji Keychain

         This keychain is from “Shimabuji” Temple of the Chichibu Kannon pilgrimage of the Saitama Prefecture. The “ji” suffix means temple in Japanese. On the front of the keychain there is a picture of the God to Help, or the Helper Kannon holding a sutra box. The sutra box symbolizes the bringing together of happiness to the world and represents the idea of sacred space. Around the edge there are engravings of 2 lotus flowers on either side of the statue connected with the vines of the flower. The lotus flower is the symbol of Buddhism in Japan and resembles enlightenment and rising to the highest state of consciousness. The lotus flower also symbolizes the cycle of life, death and rebirth with the roots connected to the lowest part of the earth. On the right of the statue it says, “first stop of the Chichibu pilgrimage,” and “God to Help” on the left of the statue.




Title of Item: Shimabuji Keychain
Date: 2000s
Place of Creation: Shimabuji Temple
Materials: Metal, red paint, bell and chain 
Description: Keychain engraved of the God of Help, lotus flowers, and poem prayer of the first temple on the Chichibu pilgrimage.

         On the back of the keychain, starting from the top, there is a picture of a carriage awning, which can symbolize the journey to the temple. Below is a type of Japanese poetry or song “eika,” a poem prayer of the Shimabuji temple that says:

“It’s wonderful,
In the past of this temple,
The lotus sutra,
Which was more than one volume,
Into 40000 copies.”

       Underneath the poem is the name of a mountain “Zukyousan,” the “san” suffix means mountain in Japanese where this temple resides in. Beneath that is “Shimabuji,” which is the name of temple on the Chichibu route. The bell on the key chain represents the ritual at a temple where you ring the bell and subsequently chant a prayer.




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