is one of the oldest Nichiren sect temples in

Kamakura, Kanagawa is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kamakura has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 persons per km² over the total area of . Kamakura was designated as a city on 3 November 1939. Kamak ...

. Its official name is . "Chōkō" comes from the posthumous name of

Nichiren Nichiren (16 February 1222 – 13 October 1282) was a Japanese Buddhist priest and philosopher of the Kamakura period. Nichiren declared that the Lotus Sutra alone contains the highest truth of Buddhist teachings suited for the Third Age of B ...

's father and "Myōhon" from his mother's.

History

In 1202

Minamoto no Yoriie was the second ''shōgun'' (1202–1203) of Japan's Kamakura shogunate, and the first son of first shōgun Yoritomo. His Dharma name was Hokke-in-dono Kingo Da'i Zengo (法華院殿金吾大禅閤). Life Minamoto no Yoriie was born to Hōjō M ...

became ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

'' at the age of 18. Real power remained with his grandfather,

Hōjō Tokimasa was a Japanese samurai lord who was the first ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate and head of the Hōjō clan. He was ''shikken'' from 1203 until his abdication in 1205, and Protector of Kyoto from 1185 to 1186. Background The H� ...

and his mother Masako. Yoriie married Wakasa no Tsubone, the daughter of

Hiki Yoshikazu was a Japanese samurai lord and a powerful ''gokenin'' of the Kamakura Shogunate during the Kamakura period. He was related to the ruling Minamoto clan through his daughter's marriage. He, and much of the Hiki clan, were killed for allegedly cons ...

a general and warrior upon whom he relied heavily. Soon after, Wakasa gave birth to a boy named Ichiman, who should have been the legitimate successor to the shogunate. Tokimasa invited over

for peace talks and then had him assassinated and his house burned to the ground in 1203. Hiki Yoshimoto was the sole survivor of this tragedy. He fled to Kyoto where he met

and became his disciple. Yoshimoto returned to Kamakura when he was much older. Upon his return Hiki Yoshimoto built Myohon-ji on his residential land in Kamakura to console the souls of his ancestors. Tombs of all of the Hiki family members and their relatives are on the right hand side of the garden. Previously, the tombs were housed in Ankokuron-ji, but in the 1920s they were moved to Myōhon-ji.

Soshido

The Soshido, or "founding priest's hall", is the largest and most prominent structure on the grounds. A wooden statue of Nichiren was constructed in the 14th century by Priest Nippo (1259–1341) and is the main object of worship contained inside the hall.

Niten-mon

The Niten-mon, or "Two Heaven's Gate", was built in 1840. It is a bright red gate located right before Soshido Hall. A pair of statues, Tamonten and Jikokuten, is contained within.

Related structures

Jakushi-dō

The full name of Jakushi-dō is Jakushi Myōjin, which translates to "God For Serpent Sufferer's Relief”. When the Shogun’s wife, Wakasa heard Ichiman was killed, she threw herself into a nearby well. Wakasa’s spirit was said to have transformed into a serpent. One day it possessed the body the daughter of Hojo Masamura (the seventh Hojo Regent) who became seriously ill. She spoke deliriously and crawled like a snake. Masamura built the hall of worship Jakushi-do in order to appease the spirit.

Well

The well nearby Jakushi Myōjin is called "Jagyo no I" "Snake-Shape Well".

Statue

A large bronze statue, built in 2002, of Nichiren can be found on the temple grounds just before the Soshidō (Founder’s Hall).

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Myohon-ji Buddhist temples in Kamakura, Kanagawa Nichiren-shū temples