Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple Coloring Pages

The Golden Hall in Hiraizumi

Chūson-ji Temple is a temple in Hiraizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture.
The Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple inside is covered in gold leaf on both the outside and inside, so it shines in gold!
We know that Fujiwara no Kiyohira, the ruler of Hiraizumi, built it in 1124.
Inside the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple, four generations of the Ōshū Fujiwara family, including Kiyohira, rest peacefully.
In 2011, "Hiraizumi" became the very first World Heritage site in the Tōhoku area!

A Hall That Protects the Hall

The Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple fits completely inside another building called the Ōidō so rain and wind will not damage it.
The first coloring page shows the Former Ōidō that used to cover the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple long ago.
When the current Ōidō was built, this old one was moved right next to it, and you can still see it today!
Try to find its thick pillars and big roof that stretches out in all four directions.

The Ōidō Surrounded by Cedar Trees

The second page shows the current Ōidō and the stone stairs leading up to it.
It stands in a quiet forest surrounded by many tall cedar trees.
The Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple is kept safe inside a glass case within this building!

The Buddha Statues Inside the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple

The third page shows the platform called the Shumidan inside the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple, along with the Buddha statues lined up on top.
Sitting in the middle is Amida Buddha, surrounded by standing Buddha statues and guardian gods.
The pillars have round flower patterns, and the side of the platform has peacock decorations.
People say this shows what the Buddhist paradise was thought to look like long ago!

Climb Tsukimizaka Slope to reach the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple

A long sloping path called Tsukimizaka leads from the entrance of Chūson-ji Temple all the way to the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple.
Huge cedar trees that are hundreds of years old stand on both sides of the path.
When you climb to the top of the slope, you will find the main hall and many small temple buildings, with the Ōidō of the Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple at the very back.
In Hiraizumi, there are other World Heritage spots besides Chūson-ji Temple, like the garden at Mōtsū-ji Temple.
It is said that the people of Hiraizumi built these temples and gardens to wish for a peaceful world with no fighting.
The autumn leaves along Tsukimizaka are very beautiful in the fall, too!

Make Gold with Yellow and Ochre

To make the gold of Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple, color lightly with yellow first. Then, layer ochre or orange on the edges and shadows, and it will look like gold!
Leave a little bit of the white paper where the light hits to make it look shiny and bright.
If you have gold pens or crayons, try using them for the Buddha statues and pillars on page 3.

The Hall Cover Has Wooden Colors and White Walls

For the Old Hall Cover on page 1, try coloring it with the dark brown or greyish brown of old wood.
For the Hall Cover on page 2, make the walls whitish and the roof grey to look closer to the real thing.
Color the stone steps grey and the lawn around them yellow-green.

Color the Cedar Forest Deep Green

For the cedar leaves on page 2, use mostly deep green and add yellow-green here and there. It will look like a forest with sunlight streaming in!
Add vertical lines in red-brown on the cedar trunks to make them look just like real cedars.
If you color the peacock decorations on page 3 with blue and green, their feathers will stand out nicely against the gold.
Place it next to the Byodoin Phoenix Hall coloring page and compare these temple halls from the same era!

Color the Buddha's Face in Soft Colors

Try coloring the Buddha's face and hands on page 3 with light yellow or cream.
If you change the ring of light from yellow to orange toward the outside, it will look like it is glowing!
If you color the guardian gods in strong colors like red or blue, the difference from the Buddha will be clear.
If you mix red, green, and blue for the flower patterns on the pillars, it will look lovely and bright!

Marco Polo’s "Land of Gold"

Long ago, in a book written by an Italian man named Marco Polo, Japan was introduced as Zipangu, the Land of Gold.
A lot of gold was found in Hiraizumi, which is why buildings like Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple were made.
It is said that this story became the basis for the idea of the Land of Gold.

Matsuo Bashō Visited Too

Matsuo Bashō, a haiku poet from the Edo period, also visited Hiraizumi on his journey in "The Narrow Road to the Deep North".
When he saw Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple, he wrote a poem: "The early summer rains / Have spared this place / Hall of Light."
This means that even though rain has fallen for hundreds of years, it seems to have spared Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple, leaving it shining bright.

A Hall Covered in Gold Leaf

Konjiki-dō of Chūson-ji Temple is a wooden hall with thin sheets of gold leaf stuck all over its surface.
It is also decorated with Raden, which is made from thinly shaved seashells.
When light hits these shell decorations, they sparkle in rainbow colors.
This hall brings together the amazing skills of craftspeople from long ago.
In the treasure hall in Hiraizumi, you can also see treasures handed down at Chūson-ji Temple.