is a Buddhist temple of the
Tendai-shū, located in
Sakyō-ku of
Kyoto-shi, in the prefecture of
Kyoto
Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
, Japan.
It is specified as a
natural monument
A natural monument is a natural or cultural feature of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities, or cultural significance. They can be natural geological and geographical features such as w ...
by the Kyoto government.
History
It was built in 1012 under the reign of
Emperor Sanjō in the imperial year
Chōwa 2. Its original purpose was to serve as temple quarters for priests from the nearby temple.
Structure
One of the rooms features a blood stained ceiling that was originally a floorpiece from
Fushimi Castle
, also known as or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a Japanese castle located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
Fushimi Castle was constructed from 1592 to 1594 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the end of the Sengoku period as his retirement residen ...
. The blood is from
Torii Mototada
was a Japanese samurai and daimyo of the Sengoku-through late-Azuchi–Momoyama periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Torii died at the siege of Fushimi, where his garrison was greatly outnumbered and destroyed by the army of Ishida Mitsunari. ...
,
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...
's retainer, and several other men who committed
seppuku
, also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...
when the castle they were garrisoned in as being overrun by
Ishida Mitsunari
was a Japanese samurai and military commander of the late Sengoku period of Japan. He is probably best remembered as the commander of the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi–Momoyama period of the 16th century. He ...
's forces during the
siege of Fushimi castle
The siege of Fushimi was a crucial battle in the series leading up to the decisive Battle of Sekigahara which ended Japan's Sengoku period. Fushimi Castle was defended by a force loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern army, led by Torii Mototada. K ...
. This battle delayed the Ishida forces, which gave Tokugawa Ieyasu time to prepare for the
Battle of Sekigahara
The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...
and eventually unify Japan under the
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868.
The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...
. Thus, Torii Mototada's act of valor is honored through having the bloody floorpiece serve as a piece of Hōsen-in.
Visiting
At the entrance, along with paying the fee, guests are given a ticket that can be used for refreshments at the end.
Guests are passed through a
washitsu
A , meaning "Japanese-style room(s)", and frequently called a "tatami room" in English, is a Japanese room with traditional tatami flooring. also usually have sliding doors (), rather than hinged doors between rooms. They may have and, if th ...
featuring such sights including a five-leafed pine.
This temple also features a garden called Hōrakuen, or "Treasure Paradise"
At the end, the refreshments ticket can be exchanged for green tea and some light snacks.
See also
*
Sanzen-in
*
Shōmyō
is a style of Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the nort ...
*
Suikinkutsu
A is a type of Japanese garden ornament and music device. It consists of an upside down buried pot with a hole at the top. Water drips through the hole at the top onto a small pool of water inside of the pot, creating a pleasant splashing soun ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hosen-in
Buddhist temples in Kyoto
Tendai temples