Kawasaki Daishi Temple Coloring Pages

A Temple Famous for Warding Off Bad Luck

Kawasaki Daishi Temple is a temple in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Its official name is Heiken-ji Temple.
It honors Kobo Daishi, a great monk from a long time ago. People fondly call the temple "O-Daishi-sama for Warding Off Bad Luck."
All year round, many people visit to pray that bad things stay away and that they can live in good health.

One of the Top Hatsumode Spots in Japan

About 3 million people visit every year for Hatsumode, the first temple visit of the New Year.
Along with Meiji Jingu Shrine and Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple, it is one of the most crowded Hatsumode spots in Japan.
On Nakamise Street right in front of the gate, you can hear lively sounds. Shops line the street, cutting cough drops to a fun "ton-to-ko-ton" rhythm.

An Octagonal Five-Story Pagoda

The first coloring page shows the Octagonal Five-Story Pagoda standing in the temple grounds.
A normal five-story pagoda looks square from above. But this pagoda is an octagon with eight sides!
It has eight roof corners. It looks round and gentle from any side you look.
It was built in 1984 to mark 1,150 years since Kobo Daishi passed away. Compare it with the Five-Story Pagoda at To-ji Temple to see how different their shapes are!

The Dai-Sanmon Gate and the Dai-Hondo Main Hall

The second picture is the Dai-Sanmon Gate at the entrance. It is a big two-story gate with huge lanterns hanging on the left and right sides of the first floor.
The third picture is the Dai-Hondo Main Hall, the center of Kawasaki Daishi Temple. It has two big roofs that curve upward. In front, you can see an incense burner with smoke and stone lanterns standing in a row.
People say that if you let the smoke from the incense burner touch your body, any part that hurts will get better.

Differences Among the Three Coloring Pages

The first picture of the Five-Story Pagoda shows only the tower with no background. It is easy to color, even for your first time!
The second picture of the Dai-Sanmon Gate shows a little bit of the temple grounds behind the gate.
The third picture of the Dai-Hondo Main Hall is a very detailed drawing. Each roof tile is drawn one by one, and you can see the wooden brackets under the roof from end to end.
It even shows the incense burner, lanterns, and stone pavement lines. Adults can take their time and enjoy coloring it, too.
Before New Year's Day, try picking your favorite picture to color with your family!

Vermilion is the Main Color for the Five-Story Pagoda

For the Octagonal Five-Story Pagoda, color the pillars and railings vermilion, and color the roof dark gray. That will make it look just like the real Kawasaki Daishi Temple!
Under the roof, color the lined-up wooden eaves ocher to make the bright vermilion stand out.
Color the finial spire on top gold or yellow to give it a nice shine.

The Great Main Gate Uses Dark Brown and White

Color the pillars and eaves of the Great Main Gate dark brown.
If you leave the white parts of the walls blank, the wood color will look nice and sharp!
Coloring the lanterns red or vermilion makes the gate look bright and cheery.

Match the Roof Color on the Great Main Hall

The big roof of the Great Main Hall has lots of tile lines packed close together, doesn't it?
Coloring them one by one in the same direction with a bluish gray will make it look neat and tidy.
For the incense burner and stone lantern in front, use patina green or light gray. That will make them look like real stone and metal!
For the stone paving, change the darkness slightly for every other tile to show the wide grounds of Kawasaki Daishi Temple.

Show the Seasons with the Sky and Grounds

For the second and third coloring pages with backgrounds, color the sky light blue to make a sunny day for visiting Kawasaki Daishi Temple.
If you want a New Year's look, make the sky light blue, the stone paving bright gray, and bring out the red of the lanterns.
It is also fun to color the sky orange or light purple for an evening scene!
Even with the same picture, changing the sky color will completely change the feel.

A Wooden Statue Pulled from the Sea

The story of Kawasaki Daishi Temple began about 900 years ago, in 1128.
A fisherman named Hirama Kanenori caught a wooden statue of Kobo Daishi in his fishing net in the sea. He pulled it up and cared for it in a small shrine, and that is how it started.
The temple's official name, "Heikenji", comes from this fisherman's name.

Rebuilt After the War

Many of the buildings at Kawasaki Daishi Temple were burned down in air raids during the war.
The Great Main Hall and the Great Main Gate you see today were rebuilt after the war with the help of many people.

Near the End of the Keikyu Daishi Line

You can walk to Kawasaki Daishi Temple from Kawasaki-Daishi Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line.
This train line was originally built to carry people visiting Kawasaki Daishi Temple.

An Octagon Means a Peaceful Heart

An eight-sided pagoda is very rare in Japan.
Having eight corners makes it close to a circle, which is said to show a gentle, peaceful heart.
Inside the pagoda, Buddha and many other deities are placed with care.