VIDEO (click)
This temple rank high among temples of Rinzai Zen Sect in this district..Its more of a training temple belonging to Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect
The main hall of the temple is a NATIONALY DESIGNATED IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTY a well preserved building with straw like roof....and the oldest one among Rinzai Zen Sect main halls in this district..... the garden is a NATIONALY DESIGNATED PLACE OF SCENIC BEAUTY..which was a real treat to the eyes..
As it is a training ashram for ascetic monks, they are not open to public except on special days in spring and fall...I went on May 5 2008 and we could hear chanting in the main hall....
.... This temple has a historic background....
The temple originates in Zentokuin Temple built by Imagawa Ujichika during 1528-1531. In 1536, when Imagawa Yoshimoto’s brother Ujiteru died and he was buried at this temple, Yoshimoto changed the temple name to Rinzai Temple after his brother’s Buddhist name and invited Priest Dairin Sokyu of Myoshinji Temple in Kyoto as the first resident priest of a new temple.
The second generation resident priest, Taigen Sessai, served as Yoshimoto’s military advisor. He is famous as a teacher who taught history and art of warfare to young Tokugawa Ieyasu(Tokugawa Ieyasu was the most powerful man in Japan after Hideyoshi he died in 1598). who was in the custody of the Imagawa clan as a hostage. Leave a Comment
Address: 7-1 Ooiwa-cho, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Pref..Directions: Rinzaiji Temple located in Oiwa-cho, Aoi-ku Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Pref, about 15 walk from sengen jinja..
