Kitain Temple

This temple is located in Kosenba-cho, Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. It belongs to the Tendai sect and is called Hoshino-san Muryoju-ji Kita-in. It is also called Kita-in or Kawagoe Daishi. It was founded by Jikaku Daishi (Ennin) in 830 (Tencho 7). In 1296 (Einin 4), Sonkai Hoshi annexed over 580 Kanto Tendai temples as training centers for esoteric and esoteric Buddhism, and in 1301 (Shoan 3), it was granted imperial permission to become the head temple of Tendai Buddhism in Bando. In 1537 (Tenbun 6), the temple's buildings and books were all burned down in the fires caused by the fall of Kawagoe Castle by Hojo Ujitsuna. In 1599 (Keicho 4), Tenkai became the 27th abbot, and under the protection of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he was donated 500 koku and 48,000 tsubo (approximately 1,584 hectares) of land, and was given the title of Toeizan by Emperor Goyozei. However, this mountain title was later transferred to Kan'ei-ji Temple in Ueno, and reverted to Hoshinoyama. There are three temples, Nakain, Nanin, and Kitain, with the Kitain later renamed Kitain. The temple buildings were rebuilt over a three-year period starting in 1612 (Keicho 17), but were all destroyed in the great Kawagoe fire in 1638 (Kan'ei 15). Hotta Masamori, the lord of Kawagoe Domain, was appointed as the magistrate of construction, and even after he was transferred to Matsumoto in the same year, he continued to work on the reconstruction, and at the command of Iemitsu, he moved the annex from Momijiyama in Edo Castle and rebuilt other buildings. The current buildings, excluding the Jiedaishi Hall, such as Iemitsu's birth room, Kasugano Tsubone's dressing room, the mountain gate, and the Jigen Hall, are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The temple treasures include "Shokunin Zukushie" (written by Kano Yoshinobu, Momoyama period), the Song edition of the Buddhist scriptures, and many other Important Cultural Properties, as well as "Egaku of the Thirty-six Immortal Poets" (written by Iwasa Matabei) and the 500 Arhat stone Buddhas. The neighboring Toshogu Shrine was founded by Tenkai, and is famous for its painting "Twelve Sage Hawks" (painted by Kano Tan'yu).

[Nakayama Kiyota]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

埼玉県川越(かわごえ)市小仙波(こせんば)町にある寺。天台宗に属し、星野山(せいやさん)無量寿寺喜多院と称する。北院、川越大師ともいう。830年（天長7）慈覚(じかく)大師（円仁(えんにん)）の草創。1296年（永仁4）尊海法師が顕密(けんみつ)の道場として関東天台580寺余を付属させ、1301年（正安3）坂東(ばんどう)の天台本山の勅許を賜った。1537年（天文6）北条氏綱(うじつな)による川越城陥落のときの兵火で堂宇および典籍はことごとく焼失した。1599年（慶長4）天海(てんかい)が第27世となり、徳川家康の保護のもとに500石、4万8000坪（約1584ヘクタール）の地が寄進され、後陽成(ごようぜい)天皇より東叡山(とうえいざん)の号を賜った。しかしこの山号はのちに上野の寛永寺に移り、星野山の山号に戻った。中院(なかいん)を中心として、南院、北院の3院があり、北院はのち喜多院と改めた。1612年（慶長17）より3か年間に堂塔伽藍(がらん)が復興されたが、38年（寛永15）の川越大火ですべてを焼失した。川越藩主堀田正盛(ほったまさもり)が造営奉行(ぶぎょう)を命ぜられ、正盛は同年松本への転封後も再建に力を尽くし、家光(いえみつ)の命で江戸城内紅葉山(もみじやま)の別殿を移築、さらに諸堂を再建した。家光誕生の間、春日局(かすがのつぼね)化粧間、山門、慈眼堂など、慈慧(じえ)大師堂を除く現在の建物は国の重要文化財。寺宝は、『職人尽絵(しょくにんづくしえ)』（狩野吉信(かのうよしのぶ)筆、桃山時代）、宋版一切経(そうばんいっさいきょう)などの国の重要文化財のほか、『三十六歌仙絵額』（岩佐又兵衛筆）、五百羅漢石仏など数多い。隣にある東照宮は天海が創建したもので、所有の『十二聡鷹絵額(じゅうにそうたかえがく)』（狩野探幽(たんゆう)筆）は有名。

［中山清田］

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