Kakuonji Temple

This temple is of the Sennyuji school of Shingon Buddhism and is located in Nikaido, Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Its name is Jubusan Shingon-in. It is said to have begun in 1218 (Kenpo 6) when Hojo Yoshitoki had a spiritual dream and built the Yakushido hall. It was destroyed by fire in 1250 (Kencho 2), but was rebuilt the following year by Hojo Tokiyori, and in 1296 (Einin 4) Hojo Sadatoki invited the monk Shinne to become the temple's founder, and the temple came to be called Kakuon-ji. Within the temple grounds are the Aizen-do, Yakushi-do, Jizo-do, and other buildings, but the current buildings were all rebuilt by Ashikaga Takauji. The principal image of the temple, the Yakushi Nyorai statue (along with the attendant statues of Nikko and Gakko Bosatsu, designated as an Important Cultural Property by the National Government) is said to have been created by Unkei, while the twelve heavenly generals are said to have been created by Takuma. The Jizo Bodhisattva statue (also designated as an Important Cultural Property by the National Government) enshrined in the Jizo Hall is completely blackened and is commonly known as Hitaki Jizoson or Kuro Jizo, and is still worshipped by firefighters in the Keihin area. Additionally, the Kaisan Pagoda and Daito Pagoda (the largest Hokyoin Pagoda in the Kanto region) are designated as Important Cultural Properties by the National Government, and the Hyakuhachi Yagura, a collection of caves of various sizes, is a designated National Historic Site.

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

神奈川県鎌倉市二階堂にある真言宗泉涌寺(せんにゅうじ)派の寺。鷲峰山(じゅぶさん)真言院と号する。1218年（建保6）北条義時(よしとき)が霊夢をみたことによって薬師堂を建てたのに始まると伝えられる。1250年（建長2）火災で焼失したが、翌年北条時頼(ときより)が再建、1296年（永仁4）北条貞時(さだとき)が心慧和尚(しんねおしょう)を招いて開山とし、覚園寺と称するようになった。境内には愛染堂、薬師堂、地蔵堂などがあるが、現在の建物はすべて足利尊氏(あしかがたかうじ)が再建したものである。本尊の薬師如来(にょらい)像（脇侍(きょうじ)の日光・月光菩薩(ぼさつ)像とともに国指定重要文化財）は運慶(うんけい)作、十二神将像は宅磨(たくま)の作と伝えられる。地蔵堂に安置される地蔵菩薩像（国指定重要文化財）は像全体が黒ずんでおり、一般に火焚(ひた)き地蔵尊、黒地蔵などとよばれ、いまなお京浜地方の消防関係者の信仰を集めている。また、開山塔と大燈(だいとう)塔（関東最大の宝篋印塔(ほうきょういんとう)）は国の重要文化財に、大小さまざまな洞穴が群集する「百八やぐら」は国の史跡に指定される。

［菅沼　晃］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例