Seitenkyū

Seitenkyū (聖天宮) (Chinese: Xien Ten Gong or Sheng Tian Gong) is a Taiwanese style Taoist temple in Sakado, Saitama, Japan.[1] It is the largest Taoist temple in Japan.[2]

Seitenkyū
Main gate to Seitenkyū
Religion
AffiliationTaoism
DeityDosso Sanqing
Location
Location51–1 Tsukagoshi, Sakado-shi, Saitama-ken
CountryJapan
Architecture
Completed1995
Website
www.seitenkyu.com

Features

It took 15 years to build this temple.[3] The temple has been built with yellow roof tiles which are exclusively used only for building temples and for housing Emperors. The ceiling in the temple is made of glass of ten thousand pieces. One stone pillar in particular which is 5 m tall is carved from a single piece and the door is 4 m wide.[3]

Three Taoist Deities (Three Pure Ones, Sānqīng Dàozǔ, the Taoist Triad) are worshipped in the temple. The main hall in the temple is built without any nails and has numerous impressive sculptures. Carvings on the stone pillars of five meters height are elaborate and called the Yin "Sōryū pillars". A drum tower to the left of the temple was added later, which offers views of the surroundings.[2]

Worship

Prayers are offered daily at the temple with incense burning. The shape and colour of incense smoke are closely observed as it portends significant omens; formations of "Dragon" "Women", "Phoenix" are said to augur well for the devotee offering prayers.[4] Devotees also offer prayers with talismans in different shrines of the temple complex, depending on their year of birth, of specific colour seeking fulfillment of their desires.[2]

References
  1. Wojnowski, Todd (21 August 2012). "Sheng Tian Gong, Japan's largest Taoist temple in Taiwanese tradition". Japan Tourist. Tokyo, Japan: Japan Partnership K.K. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  2. 地域ニュース：　聖天宮 [Local News: Seitenkyū] (in Japanese). Japan: Koedo Net. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  3. "Points of Interest" (in Japanese). Official website. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  4. "Good luck and God worship worship worship worship marks authentic Taiwan Charm" (in Japanese). Official website. Retrieved 17 August 2011.

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