The Honno-ji Temple in Kyoto—A Tribute to Oda Nobunaga, a Man of His Time

Kyoto is home to countless temples, but the fame of Honno-ji largely stems from its historical significance. The temple is well-situated in a quiet spot amidst the hustle and bustle, located at the corner of Kyoto's Shijo Teramachi shopping street. It's not particularly large, yet it's renowned for the 'Incident at Honno-ji,' an event that changed the course of Japanese history. Honno-ji, officially known as Daihonzan Honno-ji, is also the mortuary temple of Lord Oda Nobunaga. It is where one of the three great unifiers of Japan during the Warring States period, Oda Nobunaga, met his end in the flames of the temple. At the temple gate stands a statue of Oda Nobunaga, and opposite it are second-hand bookstores and clothing shops. Many shoppers and tourists stop by to pay their respects and reflect on the life of a man who spent his life in military campaigns. Speaking of temple names in Japan, they generally consist of three parts: xx-san xx-in xx-ji, meaning the mountain name, the institution name, and the temple name, with the temple name being a constant. However, there are exceptions, such as the Byodo-in Phoenix Hall in Kyoto, which was a villa of the Fujiwara family and thus lacks a temple name. It's also important to clarify that 'Honzan' is not a mountain name, but refers to a temple with a special status within a specific Buddhist sect. Daihonzan means the head temple of a sect. In June 1582, inside Honno-ji in Kyoto, Japan witnessed its greatest coup d'état. Oda Nobunaga, a man who nearly unified Japan, was surrounded and killed by his trusted retainer Akechi Mitsuhide in the temple, an event known as the 'Honno-ji Incident'. Oda Nobunaga's favorite verse, 'Life is but fifty years, it is like a dream, it is like a fantasy. There is life and there is death, what should a brave man regret?' turned out to be prophetic and became his death poem. This incident changed the direction of Japanese history, yet the reason for Akechi Mitsuhide's betrayal remains a mystery, with various speculations in literature and history. One theory suggests that Oda Nobunaga's eccentric behavior and treachery were well known, and Akechi Mitsuhide, suffering from depression unknowingly, feared being dismissed and exiled, leading him to rebel. It is said that Akechi Mitsuhide was killed by a villager in the wilderness, and his body was never found. The talented general who killed his god-like lord, Oda Nobunaga, did not anticipate that he would meet the same fate, ultimately paving the way for others. In the end, the biggest beneficiary of the incident was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who, through a series of maneuvers, took control of the Oda regime and finally unified Japan. The world is unpredictable, and all things are impermanent. The geese leave their calls, and people leave their names. History ultimately remembers those with great deeds, leaving posterity to ponder how to live their own lives.