Reading archaeological materials alongside extant documents offers promising insights into medieval Japanese social life. This talk shares the results of archival and archaeological research at a mountain temple called Bujōji (formerly Daihizanji) in northern Kyoto, established by a Buddhist monk named Sainen (ca. 1154 CE), known for his life as a solitary recluse. Recently discovered manuscripts emphasize Sainen’s solitude, while excavated materials suggest his social interactions with those from nearby villages, where he conducted Buddhist rituals and ministered to local religious and economic interests. In addition to illustrating the connections between medieval Buddhist recluses and provincial populations, working across these separate lines of evidence in the field resulted in interactions with stakeholders involved in their preservation. After exploring connections across medieval sources and social contexts, this talk presents some findings that emerged through ongoing community archaeology on Bujōji’s past in collaboration with its diverse community in the present.

Please note that this is an in-person only event.

Reischauer Institute Japan Forum co-sponsored by Harvard Buddhist Studies Forum