Hokyo-ji Temple (宝鏡寺)
The Hokyo-ji Temple of the Rinzai sect is located in Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, and the temple is known as an Amamonzeki-ji Temple, which used to be run by nuns of noble women. Sango (literally, "mountain name"), which is the title prefixed to the name of a Buddhist temple, is Seizan (Mt. Sei). The temple is also known as the Ningyo-dera Temple (Doll Temple).
History
It was the Muromachi period. At the time from around 1368 to around 1375, Imperial Princess Karinnomiya Egon, the daughter of Emperor Kogon, enshrined Seikanzeon Bosatsu (bodhisattva) which was caught in a fishing net at Futamigaura in Ise. It is said that this leads to the founding of the temple, and the beginning of the history of the temple.
Dolls
Because dolls were sent to princesses who secluded themselves in the temple from the Imperial Palace, many dolls are stored in the temple. Because of this, the temple started to be known as a Doll Temple, and the temple also started to hold a memorial service for dolls from the general public. For this reason, the temple is also called Dodogosho, the Imperial Palace of Dodo (the place name). A doll mound was built in the temple to hold a memorial service for dolls and to promote Kyo dolls, and the statue of a Japanese doll and a poem written by Saneatsu MUSHANOKOJI were carved.
A complex of temple buildings
Shoin (room in the shoin-zukuri style, often used as a reception room)
Hondo (main temple building)
Amidado (temple hall with an enshrined image of Amitabha)