Overview
Manpuku-ji is a temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha school in the Kamishigehara area of Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture. Its mountain name is Rinkeizan. According to tradition it was founded in 815 by the monk Saicho, and it later converted to Jodo Shinshu, giving it a long and layered history. Despite standing just a few minutes on foot from Shigehara Station on the Meitetsu Mikawa Line, the temple grounds keep a calm and unhurried air, making it a fitting place to pause and offer a quiet prayer along your journey.
Highlights
- ●An ancient pedigree said to reach back to the ninth century with a founding by Saicho in 815
- ●The history of its conversion to Jodo Shinshu in 1232 during the Kamakura period
- ●The calm grounds of a Shinshu Otani-ha temple bearing the mountain name Rinkeizan
- ●Easy access just a few minutes on foot from Shigehara Station on the Meitetsu Mikawa Line
History
According to temple tradition, Manpuku-ji was founded in 815 by Saicho, the Great Master Dengyo, and was originally connected with the Tendai school. Later, in 1232, the monk Ryosei converted it to Jodo Shinshu, and it has since carried on the Dharma flame as a temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha. Today the twenty-eighth head priest, Shaku Ryoen, serves the temple. From its founding in the ninth century, through the change of school in the Kamakura period, to the present day, the temple's long passage of years shows how deeply it has taken root in the region.
Access
The temple lies in the Kamishigehara area of Chiryu City, Aichi Prefecture. It enjoys excellent public transport access, standing just a few minutes on foot from Shigehara Station on the Meitetsu Mikawa Line. It is also close to central Chiryu; you can transfer to the Mikawa Line at Chiryu Station on the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line. By car, head toward central Chiryu from the Isewangan Expressway or National Route 1. It is wise to confirm parking details in advance.
Best season
The tranquil grounds are suited to a visit throughout the year. Spring brings budding greenery nearby, followed by the fresh foliage of early summer and the clear air of autumn, so the mood shifts with each season. Timing your visit to a memorial service or observance held as a Shinshu temple lets you feel the atmosphere of the temple more deeply. As event dates vary from year to year, checking the official information before visiting is recommended.
Map
34.9945, 137.0246 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Get off at Shigehara Station on the Meitetsu Mikawa Line and walk a few minutes to Manpuku-ji
- 2Pay respects at the main hall and take in the calm bearing of a temple said to be founded by Saicho
- 3Stroll the grounds unhurried and sense the long history and the mood of a Shinshu Otani-ha temple
- 4Head back toward Chiryu Station and enjoy central Chiryu and nearby sights as well
Did you know?
💡 A defining feature of Manpuku-ji's history is that, although tradition credits its founding to Saicho in the early ninth century, it was turned toward Jodo Shinshu by the monk Ryosei in the Kamakura period. This shift from Tendai to Shinshu reflects the spread of medieval faith in this region. That the temple still stands today under the mountain name Rinkeizan, after such a long span of change, gives it a particular sense of weight.
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