Kasagidera Temple

This temple is located on top of Mt. Kasagi in Kasagi-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto Prefecture. Its correct name is Rokurozan Kasaoki-dera, and it belongs to the Chisan school of Shingon Buddhism. It is said that Prince Otomo founded the temple, but it is unclear. It is believed that worship of megaliths has existed for 2,000 years, and there are many huge rock-carved Buddha statues on the mountain, such as the Miroku Stone, Manju Stone, Yakushi Stone, and Kokuzo Stone. The 15-meter-tall Miroku Buddha (which disappeared during the Genko Incident and only the boat-shaped halo remains) carved into the stone has been revered as the principal image since ancient times. According to the legend, Roben and Jitchu of Todai-ji Temple are said to have visited the temple during the Nara period, and it is believed that the temple's appearance was established around that time. Later, with the popularity of the idea of ​​the end of the Heian period, the temple attracted the faith of aristocrats and commoners as a sacred place of Maitreya's descent. In 1192 (Kenkyu 3), Jokei of Kofuku-ji Temple retired to the temple and built various halls, and the temple flourished, but in the Genko Incident (1331), the temple became the temporary palace of Emperor Godaigo and the various halls were burned down. Today, the temple is home to the New Year's Hall, Bishamon Hall, and bell tower. The bronze bell, thirteen-story stone pagoda, and ink-written Jizo and Maitreya lectures on paper are designated as Important Cultural Properties, and the temple has many treasures.

[Kanaoka Hidetomo]

"The Turbulent 1300 Years of Kasagi Temple - The History of a Mountain Temple" by Yoshiaki Kobayashi (2002, Bungeisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都府相楽(そうらく)郡笠置町、笠置山上にある寺。正しくは鹿鷺山笠置寺(ろくろうざんかさおきでら)と号し、真言宗智山(ちさん)派に属する。開基は大友皇子と伝えるが不明。すでに2000年前より巨石信仰があったとみられ、山上には弥勒(みろく)石、文殊(もんじゅ)石、薬師(やくし)石、虚空蔵(こくうぞう)石など巨大な磨崖仏(まがいぶつ)が多く、高さ15メートルに及ぶ石面に刻まれた弥勒仏（元弘(げんこう)の変で消亡し、舟形光背のみ残る）は、古来本尊として仰がれた。縁起によると、奈良時代に東大寺の良弁(ろうべん)、実忠(じっちゅう)が参籠(さんろう)したと伝え、このころ寺の形容を整えたとみられる。その後、平安末期の末法思想の流行に伴い弥勒下生(げしょう)の霊場として貴族・庶民の信仰を集めた。1192年（建久3）興福寺の貞慶(じょうけい)が当寺に隠遁(いんとん)して諸堂を建立、寺勢盛んとなるが、元弘の変（1331）において後醍醐(ごだいご)天皇の行宮(あんぐう)となって諸堂を焼失した。現在は正月堂、毘沙門(びしゃもん)堂、鐘楼などが並ぶ。銅鐘、石造十三重塔、紙本墨書地蔵講式・弥勒講式が国重要文化財に指定されるほか、寺宝が多い。

［金岡秀友］

『小林義亮著『笠置寺激動の1300年――ある山寺の歴史』（2002・文芸社）』

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