: World Cultural Heritages of KyotoChishaku-in temple
More photos.Chishaku-in is the head temple of Shingon Buddhism Chizan Sect. This temple is less popular among tourists but it has excellent Shoheki-ga (Fusuma-e) paintings that are National Treasures, as well as a very good garden.
If you were interested in those arts, or if you visited more popular Sanjusangen-do and had time, go visit the temple and you would not regret.
History
Chishaku-in was founded in the 14th century as a sub-temple of Daidenpo-in that was established in Koyasan, Wakayama Prefecture by Priest Kakuban (1095-1144), in the year 1130. The mother temple then moved to Negorosan in Wakayama prefecture ten years later.
In the year 1585, Daidenpo-in, including its sub-temples, was totally destroyed by the actual ruler of the country, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598). Chief Priest of Chishaku-in, Genyu (Gen'yu, 1529-1605), who fled from the assault, had to wait until the Toyotomi family was destroyed and the Tokugawa family came to power. In the year 1601, the first Tokugawa Shogun, Ieyasu (1543-1616) gave a place to Genyu to revive Chishaku-in. Then, in the year 1615, Ieyasu gave them neighboring Shounzen-ji temple that had been founded by Hideyoshi in memory of his son Sutemaru who died in 1591 at the age of three.
The extant Shoheki-ga (or Fusuma-e) paintings (national treasures) were those displayed in Kyakuden building of Shounzen-ji. Chishaku-in suffered from several fires during its history and about half of the paintings were lost.
Other places of interest in this area:
Funda-in, Raigo-in, Ryogin-an, Sanjusangen-do, Sennyu-ji, and Tofuku-ji temples.
How to get there:
Kyoto City bus 208 or 206 from Kyoto Station to Higashiyama-Shichijo (please note that the bus stop may be called "Higashiyama-Nanajo" instead of "Shichijo"). It takes about 10 minutes.
Three minutes of walk from Sanjusangen-do.
To see the map of this area, click HERE.
Hours and Admission:
09:00-16:00
500 yen
Photos:
Click a photo to see a larger image.
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| The garden seen through windows of Daishoin building. August 24, 2007 |
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| Somon gate. The regular entrance to this temple is 20 to 30 meters on the
right of this gate. August 24, 2007 |
Daishoin building. August 24, 2007 |
A tatami room of Daishoin that faces the garden. August 24, 2007 |
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| A reproduction of Shoheki-ga (or Fusuma-e) painting of a maple tree. The
original of this was painted by Hasegawa Tohaku (1539-1610) just after his son passed away. You can see the original
paintings including this in Homotsu-den building of the temple. August 24, 2007 |
A reproduction of Shoheki-ga painting of cherry blossoms. The original
of this was painted by Hasegawa Kyuzo, a son of Tohaku, when he was 25 years old. He passed away at age 26,
after he completed this painting. August 24, 2007 |
A reproduction of Shoheki-ga painting of a pine tree and hollyhock, that
was painted by Tohaku. August 24, 2007 |
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| A reproduction of Shoheki-ga painting August 24, 2007 |
The middle of the garden that is modeled on Mt. Lushan (in Japanese,
Rozan) of China. August 24, 2007 |
Left side of the garden. August 24, 2007 |
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| Right side of the garden. August 24, 2007 |
A Stone bridge in the left side of the garden. August 24, 2007 |
A stone bridge halfway up the miniature mountain. August 24, 2007 |
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| Twin stone bridges in the right side of the garden. August 24, 2007 |
A wooden bridge in the far right of the garden. August 24, 2007 |
A waterfall on the foot of the miniature mountain. August 24, 2007 |