Genpin-an Temple (玄賓庵)
Genpin-an is a temple of the Shingonshu sect Daigo-ji school of Buddhism located in Kayahara, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, the foot of Mt. Miwa.
History
The legend of the temple says that this was originally a hermitage of the Buddhist priest Genpin, who did not like earthly affairs and moved to the foot of the mountain called Miwa, despite the fact that he was trusted greatly by the Emperor Kanmu and the Emperor Saga. This site is known as the stage of the famous Noh song "Miwa," to which Zeami is attributed as an author. The temple once was in the valley of Hibara of Mt. Miwa and performed as a temple of Mountain Buddhism, but moved down to the current place when the Meiji government issued the Ordinance Distinguishing Shinto and Buddhism at the very beginning of the Meiji period.
Cultural Properties
A wooden seated statue of Fudo Myoo (Acala in Sanskrit, the God of Fire) (Important Cultural Property)
Access
From Miwa Station of the JR West Sakurai Line, walk for about 30 minutes.