After a tumultuous period of civil war that lasted more than a century, Japan was unified by Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), who became the first Tokugawa shogun in 1603. Kyogoku Takatsugu, an ally of the Tokugawa family, was then appointed lord of Wakasa Province and began construction of Obama Castle, which was completed in 1641 by Sakai Tadakatsu (1587–1662), the first lord of the Obama domain. Surrounded on three sides by Obama Bay and the Kita and Minami Rivers, Obama Castle was known as a mizuki, or “water castle.”

Mantokuji Temple is located to the southeast of Obama Castle, about 10 minutes away by car. It was frequently visited by the lords of the area, including the aforementioned Kyogoku Takatsugu and the Sakai family. The temple was originally located on the bank of the Otonashi River and was called Gokurakuji. After a devastating fire, it was rebuilt at the current location at the beginning of the Edo period (1603–1867) and was named Mantokuji.

It was said that even sinners would be saved if they came onto the grounds of Mantokuji Temple. It was Wakasa Province’s only kakekomidera, a temple where women could seek shelter and eventual divorce from abusive husbands. It is no surprise that many feel enveloped by a sense of compassion when visiting the majestic and calm precincts of Mantokuji.

The main hall of Mantokuji enshrines the temple’s principal object of worship, a seated statue of Amida Buddha (the Buddha of Immeasurable Light and Life). The dais is relatively new, but the statue itself was made in the late Heian period (794–1185). It is carved from hinoki cypress using the yosegi-zukuri joined woodblock technique. Amida Buddha sits on a rectangular pedestal with a gentle, calming expression, both hands held in a mudra (symbolic gesture) of welcome. The statue was originally the main object of worship at Gokurakuji Temple and was moved to this location when the temple was reconstructed as Mantokuji.

(THE ORIGINAL TWO PARAGRAPHS FOLLOW)
The main hall enshrines the temple’s principal object of worship, a seated statue of Amida Buddha (the Buddha of Immeasurable Light and Life). The dais is relatively new, but the statue itself was carved in the late Heian period (794–1185). It was originally the main object of worship at Gokurakuji Temple and was moved to this location when the temple was reconstructed as Mantokuji.

The statue of Amida Buddha is made of hinoki cypress using the yosegi-zukuri joined woodblock technique. The deity is seated on a rectangular pedestal with a gentle, calming expression, both hands held in a mudra (symbolic gesture) of welcome.

A traditional thatched-roof building next to the garden was used to entertain important guests, including the Sakai family, and contains many works of arts and other treasures. The overhead transoms that divide the rooms are decorated with ink paintings by Sakai Tadatsura (1752–1806), the ninth lord of the Obama domain. Other well-preserved treasures include hanging scrolls depicting Fudo Myo-o (the Immovable Wisdom King) with three children and Miroku Bodhisattva (believed to be the Buddha of the Future), both designated Important Cultural Properties.