「妙経寺」大分県杵築市 / ”Myokyo-ji temple” Kitsuki-City Oita-pref

「妙経寺」大分県杵築市

全国的に珍しく庭内の石橋の裏に「作庭者・築山師 淡州住 秦治郎兵衛兼利」「作庭日・安永四年(1775)十三世日行の時」と刻まれている。地割は手前の平庭の白砂部分と背後の築山に大きく二分される。江戸中期の築山枯山水庭。背後の三尊石と蘇鉄がある築山中央部を蓬莱山を背負った亀島に見立てている。また三尊石の下には陰陽石がある。海に見立てた砂庭を縁取るように東回りで飛び石が置かれ枯滝石組の前を通り三尊石と陰陽石の間を抜け石橋を渡り築山の西にあった茶室へと上る露地庭の役割も有する。現在茶室は無いが８０年ほど前までは残っていたと檀家の老人が証言している。２００６年に江戸中期の姿に復元。伺った当日の前夜が嵐模様で庭が春の濡れ落ち葉で埋もれていたので妙経寺公式ホームページから綺麗に手入れされた写真を二枚お借りしました。また、せりもち式の石橋の裏には大変珍しくもこの庭の作庭者の氏名が刻まれている。作庭は安永四年(1775年）１０月１３日、築山師 淡州住 秦治郎兵衛兼利。なんと作庭者は淡路島から大分県杵築まで出張していることに驚く。日本でここだけかもしれない貴重な資料。

◼︎名称：「妙経寺」

◼︎住所：大分県杵築市南杵築東下司１５３９

◼︎TEL: 0978-62-3570

◼︎営業時間：日中の常識的な時間帯

◼︎休園日：事前問い合わせ

◼︎駐車場：あり

◼︎アクセス：杵築駅からバスで10分

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Myokyo-ji temple” Kitsuki-City Oita-pref.

A mid-Edo period Tsukiyama Karesansui garden. Unusually, on the back of the stone bridge in the garden, the following is engraved: "Gardener: Hata Jirobei Kanetoshi, resident of Tanshu" and "Garden created: 1775, during the time of Nichigyo the 13th." The grand design is roughly divided into two parts, from the viewer's side, into the white sand of the flat garden in front and the Tsukiyama behind. The central part of the Tsukiyama with the Sanzon stone and Cycad in the back is likened to Kamejima with Mount Horai on its back. There is also a Yin Yang stone under the Sanzon stone. Stepping stones are placed around the east to border the sand garden which resembles the sea, and it also serves as an open garden, where you pass in front of the dry waterfall stone group, pass between the Sanzon stone and the Yin Yang stone, cross the stone bridge, and go up to the teahouse located to the west of the Tsukiyama. There is no teahouse now, but an elderly parishioner testifies that it remained until about 80 years ago. It was restored to its appearance in the mid-Edo period in 2006. The night before we visited there was a storm and the garden was covered in wet spring leaves, so we borrowed two beautifully maintained photos from the Myokyoji Temple official website. Also, the name of the garden's creator is engraved on the back of the serimochi-style stone bridge, which is quite rare. The garden was created on October 13, 1775 (the fourth year of the An'ei era) by mountain builder Hata Jirobei Kanetoshi, a resident of Awaji. It is surprising to learn that the garden's creator traveled all the way from Awaji Island to Kitsuki in Oita Prefecture. This is a valuable document that may be found nowhere else in Japan. 

◼︎Name: "Myokyo-ji Temple"

◼︎Address: 1539 Minamikitsuki Higashigeji, Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture

◼︎TEL: 0978-62-3570

◼︎Opening hours: Reasonable hours during the day

◼︎Closed days: Please inquire in advance

◼︎Parking: Available

◼︎Access: 10 minutes by bus from Kitsuki Station