Heirakuji Shoten (平楽寺書店)
Kabushiki Kaisha (a joint stock corporation) Heirakuji (literally, Heiraku-ji Temple) Shoten is a publishing company located at Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City. It is a long established bookstore which handles books related to Buddhism. It was established during the Keicho era of the early Edo Period by the founder, Jotoku MURAKAMI.
History
The founder Jotoku MURAKAMI (birth date unknown-1626) was a bushi (samurai) from Tanba Prefecture, but opened up a shoshi (a book publisher and seller) after he came to Kyoto. He published books related to medicine and Buddhism. Since then, his descendants have named themselves "Kanbe MURAKAMI" for generations.
At the times of Kanbe MURAKAMI the 2nd was born Joshin (which can also read Kiyonobu) MURAKAMI (year of birth unknown-1654) and Kanbe MURAKAMI the 3rd, born Soshin (which can also read Munenobu) MURAKAMI (year of birth unknown-1663), the bookstore contributed to publishing religious books of the Jodo (Pure Land) sect, but switched to the Hokke sect at the time of Soshin.
The relationship with Nissei of Fukakusa deepened since Motonobu MURAKAMI (Kanbe MURAKAMI the 4th,) and the Murakami Heirakuji bookstore started to exclusively publish religious books of the Nichiren sect, and renamed itself Hokke Shumon Shodo (Bookstore of the Hokke Sect) in 1741, which flourished and opened up a branch store in Edo during the Jokyo era.
The bookstore closed its business in the Meiji Era, but in 1912, Kanbe MURAKAMI the 11th transferred the bookstore to Jisaku INOUE who restarted the old bookstore as a publishing company mainly publishing religious books of the Nichirei Sect under the new company name of Heirakuji Shoten (Inoue Heirakuji).
Still today most of their published works are related to Buddhism, but for people who are not Buddhist scholars it is known as the publisher of "Toho Nenpyo" (literally, Chronological Table of the East).
Location
Higashinotoin-dori Sanjo-dori Agaru, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto City