Gansenji Temple

This is a Shingon Ritsu temple located in Iwafune, Kamo-cho, Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture. Its mountain name is Mount Takao. It began when Gyoki built the Amida Hall in 729 (Tenpyo 1) during the reign of Emperor Shomu. It later became the Kanjo Hall after Kobo Daishi (Kukai) and his nephew Chisen transmitted the teachings, and Chisen built a new Hoon-in temple. After that, more buildings were built with the support of the imperial family, and it came to be called Iwafune-ji. At its peak, it had 39 temples and pagodas, but it was burned down during the Jokyu War in 1221 (Jokyu 3), and again in 1311 (Ocho 1), destroying more than half of the temple buildings. It was renovated during the Kan'ei era (1624-1644) with donations from the Tokugawa Shogunate. Many of the temple's important cultural properties include the principal image, the seated Amida Nyorai statue, and the Fugen Bosatsu statue. Within the temple grounds are a three-story pagoda, a thirteen-story stone pagoda and five-ringed tower, and a stone chamber (all of which are important cultural properties). There are also many stone Buddha statues and stone towers around Gansenji that are believed to date back to the Kamakura period.

[Masahiro Nomura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都府木津川(きづがわ)市加茂町岩船(かもちょういわふね)にある真言律宗の寺。山号は高雄山(こうゆうざん)。聖武(しょうむ)天皇の729年（天平1）に行基(ぎょうき)が阿弥陀(あみだ)堂を建立したのが始まりで、のち弘法(こうぼう)大師（空海）とその甥(おい)の智泉(ちせん)が伝法を行ってから灌頂(かんじょう)堂となり、智泉が新たに報恩(ほうおん)院を建立した。その後も皇室の援助によって堂舎が建てられ、岩船寺と称するようになった。盛時は寺塔39坊を数えたが、1221年（承久3）承久(じょうきゅう)の乱の兵火にかかり、また1311年（応長1）再度の兵火により堂宇の過半を焼失した。寛永(かんえい)年間（1624～44）徳川幕府の寄進によって修造された。本尊阿弥陀如来坐像(あみだにょらいざぞう)、普賢菩薩(ふげんぼさつ)像など国の重要文化財も多い。境内には三重塔、石造の十三重塔と五輪塔、石室（いずれも国の重要文化財）などがある。なお、岩船寺周辺には鎌倉時代のものと推定される石仏、石塔が多い。

［野村全宏］

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