Koetsuji Temple

This Nichiren sect temple is located in Koetsu-cho, Takagamine, Kita-ku, Kyoto City. It is called Taigyozan. It was originally a place for the memorial tablets of the family of Honami Koetsu, but later Nichiji, the 12th head priest of Honpo-ji Temple, was invited to make it a temple. This area was bestowed upon Koetsu by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1615 (Genwa 1), and other Nichiren sect temples were also located there: Joshoji, Chisokuan (abolished), and Myoshu-ji (absorbed into Koetsu-ji Temple at the beginning of the Meiji period). Within the temple grounds is Taikyoan (rebuilt in 1915), where Koetsu spent his later years, and the fence in front of it is a unique one known as Koetsu-gaki or Neushi-gaki. In the Koetsu Hall of the Sanbatei tea ceremony hall, a statue of Koetsu is enshrined, as well as the graves of Koetsu and his son Kosa, and many other belongings of Koetsu. Every year from November 11th to 13th, the Koetsu Grand Tea Ceremony is held.

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市北区鷹峯(たかがみね)光悦町にある日蓮(にちれん)宗の寺。大虚山(たいぎょざん)と号する。初め本阿弥(ほんあみ)光悦一族の位牌(いはい)所であったが、のちに本法寺12世の日慈(にちじ)を招いて寺堂とした。この地域は1615年（元和1）に光悦が徳川家康から拝領した所で、別に常照寺、知足庵(ちそくあん)（廃絶）、妙秀寺（明治の初めに光悦寺に吸収）の日蓮宗寺院があった。境内には光悦が晩年を過ごした大虚庵(たいきょあん)（1915年再建）があり、その前の垣根は光悦垣、臥牛(ねうし)垣といわれる独特のものである。茶席三巴亭(さんはてい)の光悦堂には光悦像が安置されるほか、光悦とその子光瑳(こうさ)の墓、そのほか光悦の遺品多数が伝えられる。毎年11月11～13日には光悦大茶会が開かれる。

［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