What is Tainai-meguri at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto?　Origin, meaning, time required, and reviews.

Did you know that Kiyomizu-dera Temple, a sightseeing spot in Kyoto, has a special spot called Tainai-meguri (Tomb tour)?
It is a secretly popular place to "walk through the dark," but it is still not very well known, is it?
So what exactly is this precious experience called "Tainai Meguri"?

This time,
Origin and meaning
Time required and fees
Word of mouth
We will introduce information such as the following.

Table of Contents

■What is the Tainai Tour at Kiyomizu Temple?

■The origin and meaning of the Tainai-meguri tour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

What is it like to tour around the womb of Kiyomizu-dera Temple?

How long does it take to visit the Tainai area of Kiyomizu-dera Temple? How much does it cost?

■Zyugudo original goods are also recommended.

Review of Tainai-meguri at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

■Is there a national tour of the womb?

■ Summary

■What is the Tainai Tour at Kiyomizu Temple?

Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto is a popular tourist spot.
The "Tainai Tour" is an experience that can be had here.
Womb tour is a ritual in which a person passes through a dark path so that he or she can be reborn and have his or her wishes fulfilled.

When you purchase a ticket to visit the temple, the back of the ticket states something like, "Feel your own light in the darkness.
The womb tour seems to be a place where wishes are granted according to people's wishes and requests.
Let's take a closer look at the Tainai Tour.

What is the location of the Tainai-meguri tour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple?

First, if you want to visit Tainai, you must head to Kiyomizu Temple.
From Kyoto Station, get off at Kiyomizu Gojo Station or Gion Shijo Station, the nearest station to Kiyomizu-Dera, and walk for about 30 minutes to Kiyomizu-Dera.
Once you arrive at Kiyomizu-dera Temple, head to the place where you can visit the Tainai-zumigai. If this is your first time, you may get lost as the temple is crowded with tourists every day.
The Tainai tour can be experienced at a place called Zugudo, northwest of the three-story pagoda. When you get close, you will see a sign that says "Tainai Meguri," so walk in that direction.

○How long has the Tainai-meguri tour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple been available?

Kiyomizu-dera Temple is a tourist attraction that attracts many visitors. However, a surprisingly large number of people do not know about the "Tainai Meguri" tour....
When you hear just "in utero" for the first time, you might think, "Child? A baby?" Some people may have questions such as, "Is it a child?
The temple's Tainai Tour was started as a commemorative event in 2000, when Kiyomizu Temple's principal image, Senju Kannon Bosatsu (Thousand-armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva), was unveiled in the temple.

○Flow to visit Tainai-meguri at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

To visit the temple, first go to Zuiguido and pay the entrance fee.
Is this your first time? If you are asked, reply and you will be given a detailed explanation of how to worship at Zuiguido.

The story goes, "It is pitch-dark inside. Since the hall is designed to look like the womb of Sui Guei Bosatsu, the darkness will continue, but you should form a line with the people in front of you and go forward, relying on the large prayer beads on the wall. As you proceed, you will come to a large stone. When you touch it, make a single wish. Then your wish will be granted." You will hear the explanation, "If you do this, your wish will be granted.
To remove your shoes, if you are given a plastic bag to put your shoes in, put them in it.
It is pitch-dark inside anyway, so please be careful not to drop anything from your bag or pockets.

■The origin and meaning of the Tainai-meguri tour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The Tainai Meguri tour is a walk in the darkness of the space beneath the main image of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which is thought of as the womb of Maharigu Bosatsu, where no light enters, and it is said that once you step outside, you will be reborn.
Inside the temple, there is a zuiguishi (stone) with Sanskrit characters representing the Great Zuigu Bodhisattva, and visitors can make a wish while touching this stone.

By going back to the stomach, you can feel how your eyes, ears, tongue, body, and mind work.
When they find light in the darkness, they are able to remember the new life of body and soul.

The author also experienced a tour of the womb, and was able to experience the "world of darkness" because even with your eyes open, you cannot see anything at all.
I thought it was to be reached by following a rope, but in fact, the rope (handrail) on the wall from the entrance to the exit is a big bead.
Rely on these beads to keep you going.

The author's impression of the actual tour of the womb

When I was in the early grades of elementary school and several times as an adult, I went on a tour of the womb at Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
When I was little, I remember being terrified as soon as I saw the pitch black staircase.
As an adult, I felt like I was on an adventure as I followed the large beads to make one wish come true. It was an experience that gave me a magical feeling of being reborn in mind and body, and also made me realize the importance of ordinary light.

What is it like to tour around the womb of Kiyomizu-dera Temple?

There are rumors that the womb tour is "scary," but what is it really like?

The tour around the womb is conducted in total darkness, without a single light, so first-time visitors may feel a sense of unease.
When it is crowded, there are people in front of and behind you, so you feel relatively safe. However, when it is empty, it is not popular, so people who do not like the dark may feel "scared".

But basically, if you follow the beads on the wall closely, you can reach the exit.

Benefits of the Tomb Tour at Kiyomizu Temple

Kiyomizu-dera Temple offers many blessings, including the Bodhisattva Kannon, who is said to be able to save anyone, and the Otowa Falls, a sacred spring that springs uninterruptedly from Mount Otowa.
Specifically, they are for study, good health, good marriage, success in life, prevention of cheating, elimination of troubles, salvation, healing, and safe delivery.

The main deity of Zuigu-do is the Great Zuigu Bosatsu (大随求菩薩). You will proceed in darkness, with the space below where the main image is placed as if it were inside your stomach.
Tainai Meguri, also known as "Kaidan Meguri," is a tour around the belly of Mahasattva, which means going around in the darkness to be reborn, and is said to be beneficial for the "fulfillment of one's heart's desire" to make people's wishes come true.

How long does it take to visit the Tainai area of Kiyomizu-dera Temple? How much does it cost?

If it is an empty time and there is no congestion, you can reach the exit in about 4 to 5 minutes.
However, when going slowly or when there are people in front of and behind you and it is crowded, 10 minutes is the standard.

In the womb tour, even with your eyes open, you really can't see anything or where you are facing, so you have to be very careful.
If you take your hands off the prayer beads, you will get more lost, so please hold them tightly and proceed.

The hours of visitation are "9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m." and it is relatively empty first thing in the morning.

The fee for a tour around the womb is 100 yen.
Upon payment, you will receive a ticket for worship.

One thing to keep in mind is that the fee is separate from the fee for Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The admission fee to Kiyomizu-dera Temple is
Adults, college and high school students: 400 yen
Junior high school and elementary school students: 200 yen
The Zuigu-do is located before paying the temple entrance fee at Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Zuigu-do is located before paying the entrance fee of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, so please be sure to know the location in advance so that you do not make a mistake.

○Are there any precautions when touring the womb of Kiyomizu Temple?

To begin with, the Tainai Tour is a walk inside the womb of the principal image of Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Anyway, you will walk in the darkness without a ray of light. The only rope you have to rely on is the bead rope, but you must be careful not to let go of it, because if you do, you will not be able to see anything in the darkness, and you will lose your bearings.

Also, the street is narrow and single track, so it is not recommended for those who do not like narrow or dark places.

■Check out Zyugyudo's original good luck charms!

After completing the tour of the Tainai area, you will want to purchase Zuigudo's original omamori (good luck charm).
It looks like a rubber band to be worn on the hand and comes in a total of six colors, including red, white, and black, with Sanskrit characters on the surface portion of the bracelet.
In addition, the instruction manual that comes with the book lists "On, barabara barabara sambara sambara, indiriya, bhishdhani wun wun loroshalei, soharka" as the mantra (minor incantation) of the Great Involuntary Bodhisattva.
This sentence means, "O Guiding Sentient Being who protects sentient beings, please make them clean of the six roots, free them from various vexations and attachments, and fulfill their aspirations.
The bracelet is easy to put on by simply putting it through your hand, looks fashionable, and is also beneficial for wish fulfillment, so you want to wear it every day.

Review of Tainai-meguri at Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Take a look at the reviews of Tainai Meguri.

It was pitch black and scary at first. I thought my eyes would get used to it, but they never did, and when I saw a ray of light, I felt a sense of relief. I felt a renewed sense of gratitude for all the things we take for granted.
The view of Kiyomizu Temple is beautiful. The Tainai Meguri tour is not well known, but we walked along the path, following the prayer beads. If I let go of my hand, I would have gotten lost.
It was a very precious experience for me. I have been to Kiyomizu Temple many times, but this was the first time I learned about the Tainai tour.
It was really dark and I could only move forward slowly. It was an opportunity for me to appreciate things that I had taken for granted.
I went with my child and he seemed to enjoy it as if it were a haunted house.
. It was amazingly dark and I couldn't see anything. I moved forward relying only on the prayer beads along the wall. It was an interesting experience that is not easy to do.

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

■Zuigudo (on the precincts of Kiyomizu Temple)
Address: 1-294 Kiyomizu 1-chome, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto (Kiyomizu Temple)
Access: 25 min. walk from "Kiyomizu Gojo Station" of Keihan Electric Railway

HP:https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/

■Is there a national tour of the womb?

In fact, Kiyomizu-dera is not the only temple that offers a tour of the womb and the kaisansa at its temples.
In the tour around the womb, visitors can experience a kind of ascetic practice of walking through the darkness for a while to reach a place where there is light again.
Therefore, you may have seen the "Tainai Tour" not only at Kiyomizu Temple but also at some other temples.
Tainai tour is one of the ascetic practices that lead visitors to pass through a darkness that resembles the womb of a Buddha, and the Tainai tour at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto is well known.
In addition, "kyodan tour" involves walking under the rim of a Buddhist temple and other places, chanting Buddhist names while practicing in the dark.
This one has become famous for its visit to Zenkoji Temple in Nagano Prefecture, where visitors can enjoy a tour of the temple's Buddhist altar.
The meaning of walking in the dark by making a tour of the Buddhist memorial altars is that there is a gojokumae, which is considered to be an alter ego of the Buddha, under the main image, and it is said that by touching it, one can establish a connection with the Buddha.
Experiencing the not-so-easy practice in the dark makes it easier to face oneself away from distractions.
In all of these practices, you will be walking in the dark and will not be able to look ahead at all unless you touch the handrail or prayer beads in front of you as you proceed.
Please go on both the womb tour and the precepts tour, as the world you see will change when you reach the light again.

What are the Tainai Tour and Kaitan Tour that can be experienced outside of Kiyomizu Temple?

The custom of touring the womb or visiting the Buddhist memorial service is not limited to Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto.
For example, the following experiences are similar to the Tainai tour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

◆ Zenkoji Temple

Zenkoji Temple is located in Motozen-cho, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture.
Kaijantan-meguri are found at temples throughout Japan, but the Kaijantan-meguri at Zenkoji Temple in Shinshu is particularly well known.
Located behind the main hall of Zenkoji Temple, it is about 45 meters along a dark corridor, touching the wall on the right.
It is said that by touching the tablet of paradise under the main image of the hidden Buddha, you will be united with Zenkoji Nyorai Buddha.
There may be fear if it is your first time, but the challenge will give you a heart that has the courage to not give in to anything.

◆Gen Zenkoji Temple

Moto Zenkoji Temple is located in Zakouji, Iida City, Nagano Prefecture.
This is a smaller temple than Zenkoji, but here, too, you can make a tour of the kaisandan.
Unlike other temples, the main feature of this temple is that visitors can enter the cloister with their footwear on from the outer sanctuary of the main hall. It is also a free experience, which is a great challenge.

◆Zenkoji Temple Tokai Branch

Zenkoji Temple Tokai Betsuin is located in Sobue Minamikawara, Sobue-cho, Inazawa City, Aichi Prefecture.
In this precepts tour, visitors can experience the Paradise in a space that was renovated in March 2018, while still in this world.
It is said that walking along the corridor under the main image while reciting the Nembutsu (the recitation of the Buddha's name) will bring you the blessing of connecting with Zenkoji Nyorai Buddha and obtaining good roots.
Please see the golden space just below the main statue.

◆Tamagawa Daishi

Tamagawa Daishi is located in Seta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.
Its official name is Hosenzan Gyokushinin, and it is a temple of the Chizan school of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.
This Buddhist Pavilion has an underground route that allows visitors to experience a tour of the womb.
Following a maze-like 100-meter path in total darkness with your hands on the walls, you can see the 88 Buddhist statues of Shikoku Sacred Sites and other statues.
Let's walk on, chanting Namu Daishi Hensho Kongo (Namu Daishi Hensho Kongo) as we go.
Because the distance is longer than other tainai tours, many people say that the atmosphere of Tamagawa Daishi is stuffy or scary. However, it is also beneficial for those who wish to get rid of bad luck, so please do not be afraid to give it a try.

◆Kotokuin

Kotokuin Temple is located in Hase, Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) of Kamakura is very famous here, but you can also tour the womb of the Buddha here.
The entrance is an uphill staircase from the side of the Great Buddha, allowing visitors to proceed through a narrow and dark area. The cavernous interior is not very spacious, but you feel a mysterious qi and a strange sense of calm.
The Great Buddha of Kamakura is also a national treasure, and is also a place of blessings such as love fulfillment and matchmaking. If you are considering a womb tour in the Kanto region, this is the place to go.

◆Seki Zenkoji Temple

Seki-Zenkoji Temple is located in Nishi-Hiyoshi-cho, Seki-shi, Gifu Prefecture.
The "Manjidan Tour" is said to be the only one of its kind in Japan. Visitors proceed in darkness along a 49-meter corridor that was built for the training of Buddhist monks at that time.
It is said that the 49-meter length was derived from the fact that in Buddhism it is said to take 49 days for a human being to attain Buddhahood.
It is said that touching the key of Buddha nature brings blessings of good fortune, and that by touching the lock and reciting a wish, all sins will be extinguished and the wish will be fulfilled.

◆Yakkusan Kegonji Temple

Tanigusan Kegonji Temple is located in Tanigumi Tokusaku, Ibigawa-cho, Gifu Prefecture. This temple is a member of the Tendai sect of Buddhism and is known as the oldest Kannon Sacred Temple in Japan.
Tanigusan Kegonji Temple is famous for its seasonal flowers, but it also offers a tour of the womb, a simulated rebirth experience.
As you descend down the side of the main hall, a pitch-dark world opens up.
I would like to experience it at least once as it is said to be beneficial for various things such as work and love.

■ Summary

How was it?
In this issue, we have introduced information on the origin, meaning, time required, and reviews of the Tainai-meguri tour at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto.
When you visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple, please be sure to experience the Tainai-meguri.

An early morning excursion around Kiyomizu-dera Temple is also available on Youtube!