Choraku-ji Temple (in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City) (長楽寺 (京都市東山区))
Choraku-ji Temple, located in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, is a temple of the Ji sect. Its sango (literally, "mountain name"), which is the title prefixed to the name of a Buddhist temple, is Odaisan. Its honzon (principal image of Buddha) is Juntei Kannon (God of Mercy) (also known as Juichimen Kannon, or Eleven-Faced Kannon). It's the seventh temple of the Rakuyo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage.
History
According to a theory, this temple originated in 805 when Saicho built it as a branch of Enryaku-ji Temple based on an imperial order. It's also believed that kenreimonin (TAIRA no Tokuko), a nyogo (high-ranking lady in the court (an emperor's consort)) of Emperor Goshirakawa and the real mother of Emperor Takakura, entered into priesthood in this temple in 1185, after the Battle of Dannoura. In 1385, after Kokua (a monk of the Ji sect) entered this temple, it was converted to a temple of the Ji sect. In 1908, Konko-ji Temple, which was referred to as the Shichijo-dojo training hall of the Ji sect, was integrated with this temple.
In 2008, its repository, in which cultural properties were placed, was nearly burned down in a fire. At that time, several cultural properties, including a wooden statue of Ippen (an important cultural property) were carried out by the chief priest and other people immediately after the fire started and thus escaped the disaster.
Cultural property
Important cultural property
Seven wooden statues of the founders of the Ji sect
Standing statue of Chishin (Ippen), imprinted with "February 1420, Made by Yasuhide"
Shinkyo Izo
Seated statue of Icchin, imprinted with "June 1334, Danna Yo Amida Buddha, Koshun"
Seated statue of Sonmyo, imprinted with "February 1407, Konko-ji Temple, thirteenth generation, Koyu hoin, Yasuhide hokkyo"
Seated statue of Taiku
Seated statue of Sone, imprinted with "December 1421, Shichijo bussho (a Buddhist sculpture workshop at Shichijo)"
Seated statue of Kiyu
Letters of Past Yugyo and Amida Buddha
Address
626 Maruyama-cho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
It's a 15-minute walk from the Gion bus stop of Kyoto City Bus.