Daiji-ji Temple

Overview

Daiji-ji, also known as Daijizen-ji, is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple located in Minami-ku, Kumamoto, Japan, with the honorary mountain name Dairyōzan. Founded in 1278, it was once the head temple of the Sōtō sect in Kyushu.

Highlights

• ●Founded in 1278, a Sōtō Zen temple with the honorary mountain name Dairyōzan
• ●Formerly the head temple of the Sōtō sect in Kyushu and a base of the Kangan school
• ●Its founder, Kangan Giin, is said to have been a son of Emperor Gotoba (or Emperor Juntoku), giving the temple close ties to the imperial court
• ●Maintains a training hall (sōdō) for monks, with a Shaka Sanzon as its principal image

History

The temple's founder, Kangan Giin, who opened it in 1278, is said to have been a son of Emperor Gotoba (or Emperor Juntoku), which gave the temple close ties to the imperial court and led to permission to wear purple robes. It flourished as the Kyushu head temple of the Sōtō sect and a base of the Kangan school, but declined after repeated fires.

Map

32.7332, 130.6893 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Pass through the temple gate and enter the grounds
2. 2Pay respects at the principal image, the Shaka Sanzon
3. 3View the sōdō, the hall used for monastic training
4. 4Learn about the temple's history connected to its founder, Kangan Giin

Did you know?

💡 Also known as Daijizen-ji, the temple's founder Kangan Giin is said to have been granted permission by the imperial court to wear purple robes.

Nearby spots