Daikaku-ji in Sagano

In Daikaku-ji, we can see Hannya Shinkyo sutra copied by Emperor Saga 1200 years ago, until November 30, 2018.
Emperor Saga was the son of Emperor Kammu who moved the capital of Japan to Kyoto, then called Heiankyo,in 794.
 The emperor established the basis of Heian culture. There was an epidemic in Kyoto 1200 years ago. Emperor Saga felt very sorry not to stop the epidemic. He asked Kukai, the eminent priest who founded the Buddhism sect, Shingon-shu, the advice.
Kukai adviced him to copy Hannya Shinkyo sutra to stop the epidemic. Following the advice, Emperor Saga copied the sutra, and it is said that the epidemic would be stopped.
This scroll of the sutra was enshrined into the closed  temple. After that, the sutra has been only open to emperors and some priests every sixty yesrs, but not open to the public until this year.
So,  this sutra is open to the public now  for the first time in these 1200 years.
 You can see this special and holy sutra until the end of November in Daikakuji Temple!

In Daikakuji Temple, there were many Saga Giku (chrysanthemum flowers) to commemorate the 1200anniversary of the foundation of the flower arrangement.
It is said that Saga-ryu, the flower arrangement school, was founded by  Emperor Saga  1200 years ago by picking two chrysanthemum flowers and put them on the alcove of his imperial villa.