Nanshuji Temple

This temple is of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, Daitokuji school, located in Minamihatago-cho, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. Its mountain name is Mount Ryuko. Its principal image is Shaka Nyorai. In 1526 (Daiei 6), the 75th abbot of Daitokuji in Kyoto, Kogaku Sosen, founded Nanshu-an, but in 1556 (Koji 2), the military commander Miyoshi Nagayoshi moved it to this site as a place of repose for his father, and the founder was Sosen's disciple Daibayashi Soso. Initially, the temple was complete with buildings such as the Buddha Hall, mountain gate, main gate, large pagoda and lecture hall, but in 1574 (Tensho 2), more than half of the temple was burned down when Matsunaga Hisahide invaded, and in 1615 (Genwa 1), it was again completely burned down by fire during the Summer Siege of Osaka. In 1619, the 4th abbot, Takuan Soho, with the support of Kishiwada feudal lord Koide Yoshihide and others, rebuilt the temple and became the temple's new founder. With the patronage of the Tokugawa clan, the temple was temporarily restored to its former appearance, but the fortunes of the temple eventually declined. The Buddha Hall and Kanromon Gate are designated prefectural cultural properties. It houses a woodblock print of the famous Tenbun edition of the Analects of Confucius.

The temple has a deep connection with tea masters, and within its grounds are memorial towers for Takeno Jo'o and Sen no Rikyu, as well as the Jisso-an teahouse said to be Rikyu's favorite. The temple is also famous for its dry landscape garden created by Furuta Oribe.

[Toshiaki Hirai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大阪府堺(さかい)市南旅籠(みなみはたご)町にある臨済(りんざい)宗大徳寺派の寺。山号は竜興(りゅうこう)山。本尊は釈迦如来(しゃかにょらい)。1526年（大永6）京都大徳寺75世古岳宗亘(こがくそうせん)の草創した南宗庵(あん)を、1556年（弘治2）に武将三好長慶(みよしながよし)が父の菩提(ぼだい)所とするため現地に移建し、開山は宗亘の弟子大林宗套(だいりんそうとう)である。当初は仏殿、山門、総門、大塔、法堂など堂舎完備したが、1574年（天正2）松永久秀(ひさひで)の乱入のため過半を焼失、さらに1615年（元和1）大坂夏の陣にふたたび兵火にかかり全焼。1619年第4世沢庵宗彭(たくあんそうほう)が岸和田藩主小出(こいで)吉英らの支援を受け、堂宇を再興し中興開山となった。徳川氏の外護(げご)により一時旧観に復したが、やがて寺運は衰微する。仏殿、甘露(かんろ)門は府指定文化財。有名な天文(てんぶん)版論語の版木を蔵する。

　当寺は茶人との関係が深く、境内には武野紹鴎(たけのじょうおう)・千利休(せんのりきゅう)の供養塔、利休好みの茶室と伝えられる実相(じっそう)庵がある。また、古田織部(ふるたおりべ)作の枯山水の庭園も名高い。

［平井俊榮］

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