is a
Buddhist temple
A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...
of the
Nichiren sect
Nichiren Buddhism ( ja, 日蓮仏教), also known as Hokkeshū ( ja, 法華宗, meaning ''Lotus Sect'') is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) and is one of ...
in
Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku ...
,
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,991,390 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture to the northwest, F ...
, Japan. Its formal name is Shūrinzan Jōzai-ji (鷲林山常在寺). Starting with
Saitō Dōsan, Jōzai-ji served as the family temple for the Saitō family for three generations, which included his son,
Saitō Yoshitatsu, and his grandson,
Saitō Tokugen
Saitō, Saito, Saitou or Saitoh (written: or ) are the 20th and 21st most common Japanese surnames respectively. Less common variants are , , and . Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese sailor
*, Japanese women's footballer
*, Jap ...
. Also, it has been designated as a nationally
Important Cultural Property, as it contains pictures of both Dōsan and Yoshitatsu.
History
In 1450,
Saitō Myōchin served as the
guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
of upper
Mino Province on behalf of the
Toki clan. (Myōchin was the son of
Saitō Sōen
Saitō, Saito, Saitou or Saitoh (written: or ) are the 20th and 21st most common Japanese surnames respectively. Less common variants are , , and . Notable people with the surname include:
*, Japanese sailor
*, Japanese women's footballer
*, Jap ...
, who had earlier served as the guardian of Mino Province.) Using his power in the area, he built this temple.
Afterwards, as Japan entered the
Sengoku period,
Nagai Shinzaemon Nagai may refer to:
* Nagai (surname), a Japanese surname
* Nagai, Yamagata, a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
*An alternative name for Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, India
* Nagai (''Star Wars''), a fictional alien race in the ''Star Wars'' ...
used the area around his temple as his base for uniting the region. Dōsan, his son, continued his father's base of operations for a second generation, designating Jōzai-ji the family temple.
See also
* For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the
Glossary of Japanese Buddhism.
External links
Images
File:常在寺 (岐阜市)-境内Jozaiji002.jpg,
File:常在寺 (岐阜市)-本堂Jozaiji010.jpg,
File:常在寺 (岐阜市)-斎藤道三公供養碑Jozaiji008.jpg,
File:常在寺 (岐阜市)-斎藤氏位牌Jozaiji016.jpg,
Buildings and structures in Gifu
Buddhist temples in Gifu Prefecture
Nichiren-shū temples
{{Buddhist-temple-stub