Shokokuji Temple

This is the head temple of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, located at Karasuma-Higashi-iru, Imadegawa-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City. It is called Shokoku Joten Zenji Temple. The mountain name is Mannen-san. The principal image is Shaka Nyorai. The temple was founded by the third Ashikaga Shogun Yoshimitsu at the imperial command of Emperor Gokomatsu. Construction began in October 1383 (Kouwa 3/Eitoku 3), and the Buddha hall was completed in November 1385 (Genchu ​​2/Shitoku 2). Shun'oku Myoha of Rokuon-in was asked to be the founding priest, but Myoha appointed his teacher Muso Soseki as the first abbot and himself as the second. When the ranking of the Five Mountains was decided in 1386, it was placed in second place, and later many learned monks came from it, becoming the center of Gozan literature. When the Hatto (lecture hall) was completed in 1390 (Genchu ​​7, Meitoku 1), it was called the most magnificent temple building in the country at that time due to its grandeur. After that, it flourished under the respect and trust of successive Ashikaga clan members, but it was often hit by fires and the temple buildings were destroyed, and it was forced to shrink and decline. In 1605 (Keicho 10), Toyotomi Hideyori rebuilt the lecture hall (Mui-do), which had been reduced to ashes during the Onin War. This is a rare style of Chinese-style architecture with entrance corridors on both sides, and fortunately it was not destroyed in the great fire of 1788 (Tenmei 8), and is now designated as a National Important Cultural Property. The Kaisan Pagoda and Hojo were rebuilt in 1807 (Bunka 4). The Kaisan Pagoda houses a statue of Muso Kokushi, and the front yard features a Zen temple-style dry landscape garden. The temple grounds are renowned for their secluded beauty, and are home to a series of sub-temples such as Daikomyo-ji Temple and Kogen-in Temple, making it a famous temple in the northern part of Kyoto. The temple treasures include four scrolls of "Mugai Sogen Bokuseki" (national treasures), as well as the "Sixteen Arhats" and "Meikakuzu" (both designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan).

[Toshiaki Hirai]

“Shokokuji Chuko Materials” written by Bunpei Obata (1944, Shokokuji) ▽ “Mannenzan Renhoroku” written by Bunpei Obata (1932, Shokokuji)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市上京(かみぎょう)区今出川通烏丸(からすま)東入ルにある臨済(りんざい)宗相国寺派の大本山。詳しくは相国承天禅寺という。山号は万年山。本尊釈迦如来(しゃかにょらい)。足利(あしかが)3代将軍義満(よしみつ)が後小松(ごこまつ)天皇の勅命を奉じて創建した寺で、1383年（弘和3・永徳3）10月に起工し、1385年（元中2・至徳2）11月に仏殿の完成をみた。開山には鹿苑(ろくおん)院の春屋妙葩(しゅんおくみょうは)を請じたが、妙葩はその師夢窓疎石(むそうそせき)を第1世とし、自らは第2世となった。1386年五山の位次が定められた際に第二位に置かれ、のち多数の学僧が輩出し、五山文学の中心となった。1390年（元中7・明徳1）法堂(はっとう)が完成すると、その偉観により当時天下第一の伽藍(がらん)と称された。以後代々の足利氏の尊信を受け隆盛を極めたが、しばしば火災にあい堂塔を焼失し、縮小衰退を余儀なくされた。1605年（慶長10）豊臣秀頼(とよとみひでより)により、応仁(おうにん)の乱で灰燼(かいじん)に帰した法堂（無畏堂(むいどう)）が再興された。これは唐様(からよう)建築の左右に玄関廊のある珍しい形式のもので、1788年（天明8）の大火のときにもさいわいに焼失せず、現在、国重要文化財に指定されている。開山塔、方丈は1807年（文化4）に再建されたもので、開山塔内には夢窓国師像を安置、前庭には禅院式枯山水庭園がある。寺域は幽邃(ゆうすい)の美趣をたたえ、大光明(だいこうみょう)寺、光源(こうげん)院などの塔頭(たっちゅう)が連なる洛北(らくほく)の名刹(めいさつ)である。寺宝に『無学祖元墨蹟(ぼくせき)』4幅（国宝）、『十六羅漢(らかん)像』『鳴鶴(めいかく)図』（ともに国重要文化財）など多数の名品が伝えられている。

［平井俊榮］

『小畠文鼎著『相国寺中興資料』（1944・相国寺）』▽『小畠文鼎著『万年山連芳録』（1932・相国寺）』

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