Tennei-ji Temple

In detail

Tenneiji Temple of the Rinzai school of Buddhism was founded by the Zen master Guchu Shukyu (1323–1409). Guchu began his training as a monk in Kyoto at the age of 13 and traveled to China at the age of 19, where he studied under Shikkyu Keiryo (Jixiu Qiliao; 1269–1351). He became the first head priest of Tenneiji in 1365.

The two oldest buildings at Tenneiji are Kaisando Hall, which enshrines the founders, and Yakushido Hall, dedicated to the Buddha Yakushi, buddha of medicine and healing. Both were rebuilt after a 1777 fire. Yakushido Hall has a huge ceiling painting of a dragon, which can be associated with water and protection against fire. The temple commissioned the artist Hara Zaichu (1750–1837), the first in a family of renowned painters. He stayed at the temple for many nights, but initially painted nothing, as he was dissatisfied with the water available for mixing his pigments, and refused to work. Eventually, after finding water that met his high standards, he finished the painting quickly. It has survived over 250 years without any major restoration work, and was spared by a 1961 fire, which destroyed most of the other temple buildings.

The temple owns silk paintings of the 16 Arhats, disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha who had attained enlightenment, believed to be from the fourteenth century. During a raid on nearby Izaki Castle in the sixteenth century, the paintings were smuggled out in the dark of night and brought here for safe keeping. Although the paintings are not on public display, the temple has managed to preserve them, and they have been designated Important Cultural Properties.