Nichiryu (of the Honmon Hokke Sect) (日隆 (本門法華宗))
Nichiryu (1385 - April 10, 1464) was a mid Muromachi-period Buddhist monk of the Nichiren Sect. His father's name was Hisanori MOMOI. He was born in Etchu Province. His childhood name was Nagaichimaru. Other sobriquets included Shinen (深円), Keirinbo, and Shojinin (精進院). He was the founding father of Happon School (today comprising both the Honmon Hokke Sect and the Hokke Sect Honmon School).
Initially, he entered Ensei-ji Temple in Etchu Province, taking the monk Nissei of Myohon-ji Temple in Kyoto to be his mentor and learning from him, but he later fell into conflict with Getsumyo, prompting him to break out on his own and found his own school. After his teacher Nissei passed away, he devoted himself to his studies at the Zoshido (Hall of the Teacher's Statue) of the Yanagi no Sakaya (Willow Sake Shop) of Nishinotoin (which later became Myoren-ji Temple). In 1429, through the financial assistance of Sojun KOSODEYA, a wealthy merchant of the Rokkakudo-cho in Kyoto, Honno-ji Temple (本応寺, one character 応 in its name was altered 能 to be 本能寺 in 1433, but pronunciation remained unchanged) came under the patronage of Mitsumoto HOSOKAWA and became one of the central temples of the Happon School, the other being the recently established Amagasaki Honko-ji Temple (in Amagasaki City). Nichiryu carried out proselytizing work in areas of the Chugoku region and areas on Shikoku that faced the Seto Inland Sea, founding a great many temples.