Baisho-in Temple (梅照院)
Baisho-in Temple is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Buzan school of the Shingon Sect located in Nakano Ward, Tokyo. It is generally known as Arai Yakushi. The temple's formal name is Baisho-in Yakuo-ji Temple on Mt. Arai.
Summary
Baisho-in Temple is the largest temple in Nakano Ward and is well-known within the city - even lending its name to a train station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line. A shopping street and food stalls stretch from the front of the station to the temple gate, and the temple has long been fondly known as 'Yakushi-sama' by the local residents. The name 'Arai' (lit. New Well) is derived from a well that was newly dug on the site and is unrelated to Souji-ji Temple in Adachi Ward.
The water (Hakuryu Gongen-sui) of the well at this temple is freely available to all, and many people come to drink it.
Founded in 1586. The principal images are statues of Yakushi Nyorai and Nyoirin Kannon that are said to have been hand carved by Kobo Daishi. Since ancient times, the statues have been said to offer blessings for childcare and the curing of the eyes and even now the number of people who visit the temple remains great. The temple became particularly famous for blessing those seeking treatment for eye diseases after the eye disease of the daughter of Hidetada TOKUGAWA, second Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, instantly recovered when she prayed to Yakushi Nyorai for her eye disease to be cured.
Nowadays, in addition to the main hall and Fudo-do hall (Acala hall), part of the large precinct is also a park.
Also, a headquarters was set up on the site during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan) and became the burial place of Yoshisada NITTA of the Southen Court faction.
Access
6 minutes walk from the front of Araiyakushi Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line. 15 minutes walk from Nakano station (Tokyo).