OKAERI / TADAIMA お帰り/ 只今
(WELCOME HOME / WE ARE BACK!)
We are inviting you on an exciting journey to the hometown of two magnificent Japanese temple guards, nowadays housed in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam. These guards, so called Niozo, originate from Yokota, a village in the remote prefecture of Shimane, where once a year, all thousand gods of Japan convene. After a prolonged absence, the guards reappeared in the village in 2018, adorned in Delft blue tiled suits! This recreation was part of a collaborative project called ‘Issho-ni/Tomo-ni, (re-creating Pure Wisdom, Together!)’, involving hundreds of people from both the Netherlands and Japan. Currently, plans are underway for their return to their former location: in the woods of the Iwaya-ji mountain. The journey alongside these temple guardians holds as much significance as the destination itself. Read more
Getting the BLUE NIO ready for World Stage OSAKA EXPO
2025-02-10
OJIZOSAN HUNT SUCCESSFUL
2024-11-24
Okuizumo Yokota
We were able to discover precious ojizosan statues again this year.
Iwayaji temple opening
2023-11-23
Okuizumo, Yokota, Shimane-ken, Japan
For the first time in many many many years the Iwaya-ji temple opened it’s doors to welcome everyone inside!
Issho-ni/ Tomo-ni
Issho-ni/ Tomo-ni, (re-creating Pure Wisdom, together!) Hundreds of participants in both the Netherlands joined the return of the Nio to their home town: Yokota, Okuizumo, Japan.
Niomon gate
A Niomon is a gate at the entrance to a Japanese temple area and traditionally houses two temple guardians named ‘Agyou’ and ‘UNgyo’.
This project is about a specific Niomon:
the Niomon at the Iwaya-ji temple in Okuizumo, Shimane, Japan. It once was house to two magnificant temple guardians that are currently residing in the Rijksmuseum om Amsterdam.
Japanese Temple Guardians
Japanese temple guardians (NIO-ZO) usually stand in a gate at the entrance of a temple area.
The guardians have fierce looks. One has its mouth open and is shouting ‘AAaa!’ and the other has its mouth fermly shut and is making the sound UN!
These sounds are the first syllabes of the Siddham script and together they represent all sounds (beginning and end and everything in between) and therefor all knowlegde, wisdom and compassion. Any one walking in between the temple guardains gains acces to this knowledge, wisdom and compassion. A Niomon and its guardians therefor are a PORTAL TO WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND COMPASSION.
The temple guardians in this project are from Yokota, Okuizumo, Shimane, Japan. And are currently residing in the Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam.
