280px, Zensuiji Garden
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 ...
in the Iwane neighborhood of the city of
Konan,
Shiga Prefecture,
Japan
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. It belongs to the
Tendai school of
Japanese Buddhism. Its
main image is a ''
hibutsu
are Japanese Buddhist icons or statues concealed from public view. ''Hibutsu'' are generally located within Buddhist temples in shrines called . They are generally unavailable for viewing or worship, although they are brought out for specific rel ...
'' statue of
Yakushi Nyōrai, which was carved in 993. Its
Hondō is a
National Treasure
The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the fundame ...
.
History
The history of Zensui-ji is uncertain, as the documentary evidence of its foundation has been lost. The temple's legend states that it was founded by
Empress Genmei during the
Wado
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By day, WADO is powered at 50,000 watt ...
era (708-715), and that the tempe was originally called "Wado-ji". During the early
Heian period,
Saichō came to the temple to pray for rain, and converted it to the
Tendai sect. Later, when
Emperor Kanmu fell ill, Saichō sent water from a spring at this temple, and the emperor made a miraculous recovery. The emperor bestowed the name of "Zensui-ji" on the temple in commemoration of this event. At its peak, the temple grew to have 26 subsidiary temples, which occupied both mountains adjacent to the main temple.
The temple is 3.9 kilometers, or approximately a one-hour walk, from
Mikumo Station on the
JR West Kusatsu Line.
Cultural Properties
The Main Hall (Hondō) of Zensui-ji was built in the
Nanboku-chō period and was completed in either 1364 or 1366. It is in the
''irimoya-zukuri''-style and is a seven by five bay building with a
hinoki cypress bark shingled roof. The building was designated a National Treasure in 1954.
The temple also has many statues which are
National Important Cultural Properties:
Shiga Prefecture List of Cultural Properties
* Yakushi Nyōrai, Heian period (the ''honzon'' of the temple)
See also
* List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
References
External links
Shikoku 49 Yakushi pilgrimage website
Shiga-Biwako Visitor's Guide
{{Authority control
Buddhist temples in Shiga Prefecture
Tendai temples
Konan, Shiga
Ōmi Province
7th-century Buddhist temples
National Treasures of Japan
Buddhism in the Nara period
