Myorenji Temple

This is the head temple of the Honmon Hokke sect, located in Myorenji-mae-cho, Teranouchi-dori, Omiya Higashi-iru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City. Its mountain name is Ubokusan. It was founded as Myoho-renge-ji Temple (established in 1309) in Gojo Ayanokoji, which was built by Nichiren's direct disciple Nichizo at the beginning of his missionary work in Kyoto. Nichikei (1397-1479), who had left Myoken-ji Temple with Nichiryu and others, built a hermitage on the former site, and around 1415, with the assistance of Yanagiya Myorenni, built a temple and named it Ubokusan Myoren-ji. It was burned down during the Tenbun Hokke Rebellion (1536), but was relocated to its current location and rebuilt during the Tensho era (1573-1592) by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. There are eight sub-temples within the temple grounds. The Shoin has sliding door paintings said to be by the school of Hasegawa Tohaku, as well as temple treasures such as "Rissho Ankoku Ron" (The Treatise on the Proper Practice of the Right and the Peaceful Land) by Honami Koetsu (both of which are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan).

[Endo Asai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市上京(かみぎょう)区寺ノ内通大宮東入ル妙蓮寺前町にある本門法華(ほっけ)宗大本山。山号は卯木(うぼく)山。日蓮(にちれん)の直弟子日像(にちぞう)が京都開教の最初に建立した五条綾小路(あやのこうじ)の妙法蓮華寺（1309創建）を開創とし、その旧跡に日隆らと妙顕寺を退出した日慶（1397―1479）が草庵(そうあん)を結び、応永(おうえい)末年（1415ころ）柳屋妙蓮尼(みょうれんに)の援助で1寺を建立して卯木山妙蓮寺と号した。天文法華(てんぶんほっけ)の乱（1536）で全焼したが天正(てんしょう)年間（1573～92）豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の命で現在地に移転し、再建された。境内には塔頭(たっちゅう)8院が並ぶ。書院には長谷川等伯(はせがわとうはく)一派の筆と伝える襖絵(ふすまえ)があるほか、本阿弥(ほんあみ)光悦筆の『立正安国論』（いずれも国重要文化財）などの寺宝がある。

［浅井円道］

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