The perpetual care grave at Fukuden-ji Temple
Visualizing the Boundary of Existence
Situated within the grounds of Fukudenji—a Shingon Buddhist temple founded in 1136—this perpetual memorial structure (Eitai Kuyo Bo) was conceived with a core thematic purpose: to physically manifest the boundary between Shigan (this shore, the realm of the living) and Higan (that shore, the realm of the departed). It serves not only as a place of mourning and prayer, but as a quiet, introspective threshold where visitors reflect on the nature of their own existence.
Primitive Geometries and Suspended Concrete
Spatial order is established through elementary geometries. A square plot is divided diagonally by a triangle, at the center of which sits a cylindrical concrete structure. Composed of three fundamental forms—the square, the triangle, and the circle—the architecture evokes the primary elements (Five Elements / Gorinto in Esoteric Buddhism: Void, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth) that represent the source of all creation and eternal life.
The cylindrical concrete wall appears to float subtly above the ground, resting above a serene reflection pool. Suspended between water and sky, the heavy concrete volume creates a poetic tension, rendering visible the delicate threshold between the physical and the metaphysical, life and death. Visitors approach through a narrow path and enter via a modest opening, stepping away from everyday time. Inside, the open-top cylinder frames a circular view of the sky, inviting visitors into an immersive experience of introspection while reconnecting them with the vast cycle of nature.
Rammed Earth and Water: Materializing Time and Place
At the entrance, rammed earth walls (Hanchiku) flank both sides of the pathway. Utilizing this ancient technique of compacting layered soil—traditionally used to mark sacred precincts—the architecture incorporates the concept of "returning to the earth" at the level of material and craft. The contrast between the uniform, industrial finish of the concrete and the organic, layered texture of the rammed earth embodies the passage of time, balancing the permanent with the ephemeral.
In response to the local geography of Odawara's Tomizu area, known for its abundant groundwater, the shallow water basin acts as a device that embeds local memory into the site.
An Eternal Anchor
Rather than belonging to a specific individual or era, the structure exists as a timeless boundary. Its precise geographic location is recorded as coordinates: 35°29'09.9"N 139°14'43.7"E. Even if the physical architecture transforms or wears away over centuries, these fixed coordinates will remain unchanged—an enduring anchor for prayer, memory, and presence in the future.
