「大通寺」岡山県 / "Daitsu-ji Temple", Okayama Pref

「大通寺」 岡山県

書院の北にある池泉鑑賞式庭園「石寿園」は江戸時代後期に地元の宿場町矢掛の庭師「中西源兵衛」が1793年から21年間という長い月日をかけて築いたもの。（作庭者の氏名がわかっていることは全国的に珍しい。）この「石寿園」の鑑賞ポイントは三尊石。

書院の北から臨む築山には役石群が幾つも配されているが他の役石の追随を許さぬ存在感を築山頂上の三尊石が放っている。次に本堂裏の座敷・客寮の小窓から松越しの三尊石を額縁庭園として臨むことができる。最後に本堂西の衆寮の池庭からも三尊石が臨め、それぞれ趣が異なる三尊石が楽しめるのだ。このような趣向の庭は他にあまり例がないと思う。京都のように石の配置は洗練されていないが、地方に生きた一人の庭師と寺に集う人々の素朴で純粋な思いが結実し形となった尊い庭と言える。

◼︎名称：「大通寺」

◼︎住所：岡山県小田郡矢掛町小林1815

◼︎TEL: 0866-82-0909

◼︎営業時間：3月～10月：9:00～17:00、11月～2月：10:00～16:00

◼︎定休日：毎週月曜日

◼︎駐車場：有り（無料）

◼︎アクセス：井原鉄道矢掛駅からタクシーで約5分

"Daitsu-ji Temple", Okayama Prefecture

The main garden, "Sekiju-en "(Chisen kansho-siki), facing the Shoin of Daitsu-ji Temple, was built over a long period of 21 years from 1793 by the local gardener "Nakanishi Genbei" from Yakage, a post town, during the Edo period. (It is rare nationwide to know the name of the garden designer.)

The highlight of this garden is the "Sanzon-seki". Sanzon-seki is a total of three natural stones that represent a Buddha in the center and two disciples on either side.

To the northwest of the Shoin is the borrowed scenery of Mt. Takamine. A huge number of garden stones are arranged on the artificial hill in front of it. However, the Sanzon-seki at the top of the artificial hill has a presence that cannot be matched by them.

Next, you can see the Sanzon-seki through the pine trees from a small window in the guest room behind the main hall as a framed garden.

Finally, the Sanzon-seki can be seen from the pond garden in the room west of the main hall, and you can enjoy the different styles of the Sanzon-seki. I don't think there are many other gardens with this kind of design.

The Daitsu-ji garden does not have sophisticated stone arrangements like those in Kyoto, but it can be described as a wonderful garden that was created by the simple and pure thoughts of a local gardener and the people who gathered at the temple.

◼︎Name: "Daitsu-ji"

◼︎Address: 1815 Kobayashi, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama Prefecture

◼︎TEL: 0866-82-0909

◼︎Opening hours: March to October: 9:00 to 17:00, November to February: 10:00 to 16:00

◼︎Closed: Every Monday

◼︎Parking: Available (free)