ZOJOJI TEMPLE
Zojoji Temple - Sanroku-zan Zojoji (増上寺: Zōjōji) is a Buddhist
temple in the Shiba neighbourhood of Minatoku
in Tokyo, Japan and almost next to
Tokyo Tower. It is the Great Main Temple
of the Chinzai sect of Shingon. The main image is of Amida Buddha. The
founder of Zōjōji was Shōsō.
Shūei, a disciple of Kukai, founded a temple named Kōmyōji at Kaizuka
(present-day Kojimachi in Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo); it is said to be the forerunner of Zojoji. Centuries later, in
1393 during the Muromachi period, at the time of Yūyo Shōsō, the
temple converted from the Shingon to the Jodo sect. Shōsō is thus the
founder of the present-day temple.
Sankaidatsu Gate at Zojoji Temple, Tokyo. Picture by
Seasee
During the Edo period, Zojoji served as the temple of the
Tokugawa family. Tokugawa Ieyasu had the temple moved, first to Hibiya, then
in 1590, at the time of expansion of Edo Castle, to its present location.
With the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the grounds took on the character
of a public park. The temple was badly damaged in World War II, but still
retains the air of a major temple. Incidentally, the place name Daimon
("Great Gate") refers to the gate of Zojoji. The present gate is made of
concrete.
Zojoji Buildings
Sankaidatsu Gate, 1622, Important Cultural Property: The
only structure to survive the war
Great Hall, 1974
Tokugawa Graves
Six of the 15 Tokugawa shoguns are buried in Zojoji. The graves of Hidetada and the monument to his wife Sūgen'in, Ienobu, and Ietsugu had been designated National Treasures, but were burned in World War II. At present, parts of two of their graves have the distinction of being Important Cultural Properties. Additional graves are located in the cemetery behind the Great Hall. Parts of the grounds of the temple are now occupied by a golf practice range and a hotel.
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(Article based on Wikipedia article and used under the GNU Free Documentation License)