The temple is a place of solace where you can hear the chants accompanied with drum beating, "Na mu myo ho ren ge kyo," every morning.
Amid the chaotic streets of Worli Naka stands a peaceful temple ‘Nipponzan Myohoji’ – a Japanese Buddhist Monastery founded by Nichidatsu Fujii Guruji, the first disciple to fulfill this Prophetic vision of Nichiren Diashonin as the only way to repay boundless debt of gratitude to the Buddha in his original land of dharma.
On his tour to India during 1931-38, for regenerating Buddhism, Fujii Guruji not only met Mahatma Gandhi but also became his close associate. He also actively participated in the freedom movement of India. As a token of his service towards Indians, Jugal Kishore Birla, a philanthropist, built this temple funded by Raja Baldeo Das Birla and officially opened on 27th, December, 1956. Since then the Birla trust has taken care of the maintenance.
Gandhiji was moved by the service and love of Fujii Guruji towards Indians and chanted the Nichiren Diashonin's prayer as a part of his daily prayer service in the ashram. Dr BR Ambedkar also visited this temple during his lifetime.
"The aim behind building this temple was to establish peace and bring people of all religions and castes together. Peaceful well-being and integrity among humans is the main motive of Buddhism and we follow it," said Bikshu T Morita, the resident Japanese monk who has been taking care of the temple since 1976.
The temple is a place of solace where you can hear the chants accompanied with drum beating, "Na mu myo ho ren ge kyo," every morning from 6am to 7am and in the evening from 6pm to 7:30pm. There are annual ceremonies held on 1st January, Ambedkar Jayanti, Buddha Jayanti and during Dussehra. These ceremonies are a grand affair witnessed by many. Also on Christmas, Bikshu T Morita distributes gifts and cakes to poor kids of nearby slums and children dance in the temple to Marathi tunes.
The Japanese committee in Mumbai is involved in many charitable endeavours. There is also a Marathi kindergarten in the backyard of the temple for poor kids.
Nichidatsu Fujii Guruji lived in the first temple built in 1907 where Japanese warriors and women who were killed by the British were buried. It still exists within the Hindu cremation grounds. He himself was buried here. There is a prayer ceremony once a year here when the Japanese Committee from Japan comes down to India in November.
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