Rinnō-ji Temple

Overview

Rinnō-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple in the city of Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, and holds the rank of a monzeki temple. Said to have been founded in 766 by the monk Shōdō Shōnin, it is grouped with Tōshō-gū and Futarasan Shrine as the "two shrines and one temple." Its precinct is a designated national Historic Site and is inscribed as part of the World Heritage "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō."

Highlights

• ●A temple inscribed as part of the World Heritage "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō"
• ●The Taiyū-in Mausoleum, dedicated to Tokugawa Iemitsu
• ●Its standing as a monzeki temple holding halls with National Treasures
• ●The Shōyō-en garden within the grounds

History

The temple is said to have been founded in 766 by the monk Shōdō Shōnin. After the Meiji-era edict separating Shinto and Buddhism, it came to be grouped with Tōshō-gū and Futarasan Shrine as the "two shrines and one temple"; until early modern times these were collectively called "Nikkō-san." Today "Nikkō-san" serves as the mountain name of Rinnō-ji, and the precinct is inscribed in the World Heritage "Shrines and Temples of Nikkō."

Map

36.7542, 139.6027 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Visit the main hall and principal buildings
2. 2Stroll through the Shōyō-en garden
3. 3View the Taiyū-in Mausoleum dedicated to Tokugawa Iemitsu
4. 4Walk the Nikkō sanctuary and tour the two shrines and one temple

Did you know?

💡 Until early modern times the temple, together with Tōshō-gū and Futarasan Shrine, was collectively called "Nikkō-san."

Nearby spots