Kodaiji Temple

This temple is of the Kenninji school of the Rinzai sect and is located in Shimokawara-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City. It is called Shuhozan and is more specifically called Kodai Shoju Zen Temple. Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife, Kita no Mandokoro, became a nun after Hideyoshi's death and was called Kodaiin Kogetsu-ni. She wanted to build a temple to pray for Hideyoshi's soul, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who understood her intentions, built a temple here in 1605 (Keicho 10) and named it Kodaiji. It originally belonged to the Soto sect, but in 1622 (Genwa 8), he invited Sanko Joeki, the elder of Kenninji, to be the chief priest, and it became a Rinzai sect temple. It has been destroyed by repeated fires, and what remains today are the Kaisan-do Hall, the Mausoleum, and the Front Gate (all designated as Important Cultural Properties by the government). The Mausoleum (Kogetsudo Hall) dates back to the temple's founding, and the lacquer work on its inner sanctuary's Shumidan and altar is famous as Kodaiji lacquer work. Inside the altar is the principal image of the temple, Zuigubosatsu, with statues of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his wife on either side. The Kaisan-do Hall was originally a private Buddhist altar for Kogetsuni, but was expanded in 1625 (Kan'ei 2) to become the Kaisan-do Hall, and a statue of San'e Shoeki is enshrined in the byodo (shrine hall) at the rear. The front gate is called Yakuimon, and is said to have been moved here from Fushimi Castle by Kato Kiyomasa.

Within the temple are several sub-temples, including Entoku-in, Shunko-in, Gesshin-in, Gyokuun-in, and Okabayashi-in. The garden, designed by Kobori Enshu, is known as a famous spot for bush clover, and the two teahouses, Karakasa-tei and Shigure-tei, and the moon-viewing platform are remnants of Fushimi Castle and are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The temple has numerous treasures, including a portrait of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, two scrolls depicting messages from Hideyoshi, and lacquerware furnishings (all of which are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan).

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市東山区下河原(しもかわら)町にある臨済(りんざい)宗建仁寺(けんにんじ)派の寺。鷲峰山(しゅうほうざん)と号し、詳しくは高台聖寿(しょうじゅ)禅寺という。豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の正室北政所(きたのまんどころ)は秀吉の死後落飾して高台院湖月尼といい、一寺を建てて秀吉の冥福(めいふく)を祈ろうとしたところ、その意をくんだ徳川家康が、1605年（慶長10）ここに伽藍(がらん)を建立して高台寺と名づけた。初め曹洞(そうとう)宗に属していたが、1622年（元和8）建仁寺の長老三江紹益(さんこうじょうえき)を住持に招き、臨済宗となった。たび重なる火災によって焼失し、現在は開山堂、霊屋(たまや)、表門（いずれも国指定重要文化財）などが残る。霊屋（湖月堂）は創建当時のもので、その内陣須弥壇(しゅみだん)と厨子(ずし)の蒔絵(まきえ)は高台寺蒔絵として名高い。厨子内には、本尊の随求菩薩(ずいぐぼさつ)、その左右に豊臣秀吉夫妻の像を安置している。開山堂はもと湖月尼の持仏堂であったが、1625年（寛永2）増築して開山堂としたもので、後方の廟堂(びょうどう)に三江紹益の像を安置している。表門は薬医門(やくいもん)と号し、もと伏見(ふしみ)城にあったものを加藤清正(きよまさ)がここに移したといわれる。

　寺内には円徳院、春光院、月真院、玉雲院、岡林院などの子院がある。小堀遠州作の庭園はハギの名所として知られ、傘(からかさ)亭と時雨(しぐれ)亭の2茶室、観月台は伏見城の遺構で、国の重要文化財に指定されている。寺宝は豊臣秀吉画像、秀吉消息2幅、蒔絵調度類（いずれも国指定重要文化財）など数多い。

［菅沼　晃］

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