(A Buddhism sect called Ji-shu was founded
by Ippen-Shonin in the 13th century)
Hojuzan
Sennenji in Watari
Since 1606
In doing so, the existing statues Amida-Nyorai and Kannon-Bosatu were reportedly carried a long way from Fukushima to Watari. Attendants carried these statues on their back and climbed over mountain peaks between the border of Fukushima and Miyagi Prefectures.
Sennenji has been in existence for more than 400 years since it was constructed in 1606.
All that while, Sennenji was a spiritual safety place for Dankasan, who are the supporters of their family temple.
During the last 400 years, the temple has suffered from fires several times.
However, it was repaired a number of times, and our ancestors did not make big changes to its appearance.
Sennenji free day care nursery
opened during the busy farming season.
Photographed around the year of 1930.
---Haiku gathering was often held in sennenji until the 1960s.---
Framed Haiku-Kai
(haiku poem gathering) poems
on the 4th of January, 1900
Framed Haiku-Kai poems
on the 9th of January, 1972
A commemorative poem monument
of Seiun Kono*
Photo taken in front of the Seiun Kono's Poem Monument:
the monument is inscribed
with Seiun's poem.
Discussions for constructing the main hall of Sennenji were started more than a half century ago. Construction of the temple was not fulfilled because of the huge cost.
According to the Danka system, all family members belong to their family temple and thus have a responsibility to their temple. It means for the Danka system, family members have to pay for the cost of repair or reconstruction of the temple.
Since the temple's construction, it has been strongly damaged by three major Earthquakes, Miyagi-Oki Earthquake in 1978, Miyagi-Oki Earthquake in 2005 and the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Considerable repairs have been enacted, such as using iron struts to provide column support.
In 2017, at the annual meeting, one of the Danka members stood up and inquired why we don't reconstruct the temple instead of spending large amounts of money for repairs. Everything turned around, and it was the moment that things began to move along the new course of construction.
In 2019, at the annual meeting, the construction committee made a practical proposal for constructing the temple. In the middle of December, in the same year, the committee sent a prospectus to each Danka.
Many discussions and deliberations occurred prior to the construction of the temple and an enormous amount of encouragement has been sent to the committee from Dankasan. A sampling of the comments follows.
Thank you very much and we really appreciate your interest.
The challenge for a small temple, in a small regional town, has just started. It is not an easy project if we understand the context around it.
Japanese small towns have a big problem with an aging society and a low birthrate. Furthermore, our peoples' mindset has greatly changed.
Most Japanese people used to honor their ancestors and visit their family tomb frequently. This means that people take great care of the temple where their family tomb is located. In some sense, honouring ones' ancestors used to be part of Japanese culture. But, recently, some people do not respect the family tomb or the temple at which the tomb is located. Some people do not show gratitude to their ancestors. Also, some people do not have descendants or cannot find their child who can look after their family tomb.
In this milieu, two questions arise. Can the monetary goal be achieved in three years? Can the project be completed?
We would like to share the whole process of the temple construction on this homepage. When the project is completed, we will proudly introduce you to our new temple as a fruit of our Dankasans' hopes and efforts.
In the process, we might encounter many obstacles.
It will be a great pleasure if you cheer us on and give us timely encouragement.
(2020.3.21)
foundation works
Jichinshiki (ground-breaking ceremony)
At the end of the ceremony, a sickle hoe and plow ceremony were performed. Those represents the process of breaking ground and commencing with construction.
The purpose of the ceremony is to offer prayers for the safety of all of those involved during the reconstruction of the temple.
If the remains are found, it will be excavated, so the construction period will be delayed and the Sennenji will have to pay for the
excavation.
The temple officials watched the whole exploratory excavation process with concern.
Investigators ordered the digging of four holes, about 2 meters long and 2 meters wide, and 2 to 2.5 meters deep.
As they dug forward, a layer of silt appeared, and then a hard layer of sand.
At 4 p.m., the survey of the four holes was completed, and no remains were found, so it was reported that the excavation was not necessary.
All the temple officials were relieved that the construction was proceeding as scheduled and that they would not be charged for the excavation.
