Jojakko-ji Temple (常寂光寺)
Jojakko-ji Temple is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Nichiren Sect located in Sagano, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
Summary
Jojakko-ji Temple's location on the slope of the Mt. Ogura referred to in "Ogura Hyakunin Isshu" (a collection of 100 poems by 100 different poets) offers a panoramic view of Sagano and in the autumn becomes surrounded by the autumn leaves that cover the entire mountain. The temple was named after the areas resemblance to Jojakkodo (the land in which Buddha's reside as described in the Lotus Sutra).
The site of Jojakko-ji Temple is reputed to have been the location of FUJIWARA no Sadaie's villa 'Shigure-tei' during the Heian period and the temple was founded in 1596 at the end of the Azuchi Momoyama period in order to serve as a place of retirement for Nittei, 6th chief priest of the Nichiren Sect Daihonzan (Head Temple) Honkoku-ji Temple.
It was Ryoi Suminokura and Eika Suminokura who donated land at the foot of Mt. Ogura to the tanka poet Nittei, and the temple complex was constructed using funds donated by the daimyo (feudal lord) Hideaki KOBAYAKAWA.
Buildings
Two-storey pagoda: Nationally-designated Important Cultural Property; constructed in 1620; 12 m tall; topped by Japanese-cypress bark roof. Main hall: The kyakuden (reception hall) of Momoyama-jo Castle that was relocated to its current site during the Keicho era (1596-1615). Niomon gate: Constructed as the south gate of Honkoku-ji Temple during the Jowa era (1345-1350) of the Northern and Southern Court period; relocated to its current site in 1616; topped by a thatched roof. Statue of Nio: Relocated from the Nichiren Sect temple Chogen-ji Temple in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture. The temple legend names Unkei as its creator but the actual sculptor remains unknown.
Belfry: Constructed in 1641
Access and address
15 minutes walk from Saga Arashiyama Station on the Sanyo Main Line.
Address: 3 Ogura-cho, Saga Ogurayama, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture