Unchouan, the pagoda of Engaku-ji Temple, Study on the illumination of the Gohonzon

This temple was built between 1270 and 1300. The principal image of the temple is a wooden Hokan Shaka Nyorai (Sakyamuni Buddha). The fringes of the robe, which are thought to have been made in the Heian period, are particularly beautiful. The temple's abbot requested that visitors who were unaware that the interior of the temple is generally closed to the public be able to view the principal image from the front gate. As a result of the lighting experiment shown in the image, it was decided that in a future construction project, the white background wall would be changed to black to highlight the golden halo, and small spotlights from the left and right would be used to impress the shadows of the Gohonzon's face and robe. The brightness and angle of the spotlights will be adjusted after the lighting fixtures are installed.