Rin'yō-ji Temple

Overview

Rin'yō-ji is a temple in the Iwa district of Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. Its principal image is Yakushi Nyorai (the Medicine Buddha), and it bears the mountain name Jitoku-san. Known as the 59th site of the Mino Shin-Shikoku pilgrimage and the Hotei station of the Gifu Seven Lucky Gods circuit, it holds a quiet place in local faith. What makes it distinctive is the layering of two histories: an esoteric Shingon founding legend and a later revival as a Sōtō Zen temple.

Highlights

• ●The principal Yakushi Nyorai and the legend of its founding by Kūkai
• ●A stop on the pilgrimage as the 59th site of Mino Shin-Shikoku
• ●The Hotei station of the Gifu Seven Lucky Gods circuit
• ●A precinct that endured and was rebuilt after the Nōbi Earthquake

History

According to temple tradition, it began in 796 when Kōbō Daishi Kūkai carved an image of Yakushi Nyorai himself and set up a small hall. It later served as the administrative temple of Iwata Kasuga Shrine, but when the shrine moved to Nabesaka in 1558, the temple relocated to Kitayama Ukaiya and gradually declined. In 1665 it was revived as a Sōtō Zen temple when Ryōnen Genchō of Matsumoto Zenkyū-in was invited as founding priest. In 1865 Tenshū Satsudō arrived from Shōshū-ji. The buildings collapsed in the great Nōbi Earthquake of 1891, but were rebuilt in 1920, and the temple stands today.

Map

35.4482, 136.8331 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Bow at the temple gate and reflect on the history of Jitoku-san Rin'yō-ji
2. 2Pray before Yakushi Nyorai in the main hall for good health
3. 3Receive blessings at the Hotei station of the Gifu Seven Lucky Gods
4. 4Return toward central Gifu and round out the day with the Nagara River and nearby sights

Did you know?

💡 Under the mountain name Jitoku-san, Rin'yō-ji carries the unusual double heritage of a Shingon founding legend and a Sōtō Zen revival. Its recovery after collapsing in the Nōbi Earthquake speaks to the depth of local devotion.

Nearby spots