Chikurin-in Temple (Yoshino Town) (竹林院 (吉野町))
Chikurin-in Temple is a nonsectarian temple located in Yoshinoyama, Yoshino Town, Yoshino County, Nara Prefecture. The honzon (principal objects of worship) are Fudo Myoo (Acala, one of the five Wisdom Kings), Zao Gongen (the principal image of the Kimpusen Zaodo, and the highest worship object of the Shugendo), EN no Gyoja, and Kobo Daishi (Kukai). It is known as shukubo (visitors' or pilgrims' lodgings in a temple), Chikurin-in Gunpoen.
History
According to temple legend, it was founded by Prince Shotoku and called Chinzan-ji Temple, and later between 810 and 824 was resided in by Kukai who named it Josen-ji Temple. In 1385, it was renamed Chikurin-in Temple. In the Sengoku period (warring states period), Sonyu, the head of the temple and a master of kyudo (Japanese archery) founded a kyudo school. Due to the separation of Buddhism and Shintoism in the first year of Meiji period, in 1874, the temple was abolished, but later, it was reconstructed as a Tendai-shu sect temple, and in 1948, after World War II, it became a Shugendo (Japanese ascetic and shamanistic practice in mountainous sites) linage nonsectarian temple. En no Gyoja Reiseki Fudasho is sacred place where is said to remain the spiritual mark of En-no-Gyoja, and pilgrims offer or receive their amulets.
Garden
The garden is said to have been created by SEN no Rikyu and is called 'Gunpoen.'
Cultural Property
Important Cultural Property
Shihon Bokusho Keicho Jukunen Gozanshu Shibunko