Overview
Rinsho-in is a temple of the Myoshin-ji branch of Rinzai Zen in Yushima, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. Bearing the mountain name Tentaku-zan, it is known as the family temple of Kasuga no Tsubone, the powerful wet nurse of the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. Once ringed by a hedge of trifoliate orange, it is also fondly called Karatachi-dera, a venerable Zen temple where the history of Edo still breathes.
Highlights
- ●The weighty history as the family temple of Kasuga no Tsubone, wet nurse of Tokugawa Iemitsu
- ●The prestige of Rinzai Zen as one of the Four Edo Temples of the Myoshin-ji branch
- ●The trifoliate orange hedge that gives meaning to the nickname Karatachi-dera
- ●A venerable Zen temple founded in 1624, bearing the mountain name Tentaku-zan
History
Founded in 1624, during the Kan'ei era, Rinsho-in belongs to the Myoshin-ji branch of Rinzai Zen and ranks among the Four Edo Temples of that branch. Its founding patron was Kasuga no Tsubone, who laid the foundations of the shogunal inner court and wielded enormous influence within Edo Castle; the temple was built to enshrine her memory. A temple of the same name also exists as a sub-temple of Myoshin-ji in Kyoto, likewise erected by Iemitsu for Kasuga no Tsubone in 1634, so that two Rinsho-in, in Edo and Kyoto, survive today as temples linked to her.
Access
The temple lies in Yushima, Bunkyo Ward, in a district fragrant with learning and history near Yushima Seido and Kanda Myojin. It can be reached on foot from the nearest subway stations and is easy to fold into a walk around the Ochanomizu and Hongo areas. As this scholarly quarter is dotted with slopes, it is wise to confirm exact routes through official information.
Best season
The trifoliate orange that gave the temple its nickname bears white blossoms in spring and yellow fruit in autumn. The quiet grounds are welcoming throughout the year, and the seasons of fresh green and autumn foliage are especially fitting for a visit spent reflecting on history reaching back to the Edo period.
Map
35.7081, 139.7648 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Walk through the scholarly streets of Ochanomizu and Yushima to Rinsho-in
- 2Pay your respects at the family temple of Kasuga no Tsubone and reflect on her life
- 3Take in the origin of the Karatachi-dera name and its trifoliate orange hedge
- 4Round out the visit with nearby historic sites such as Yushima Seido and Kanda Myojin
Did you know?
💡 The name Karatachi-dera comes from the hedge of sharp-thorned trifoliate orange that once encircled the grounds. Kasuga no Tsubone rose from a shogun's wet nurse to the woman who governed the inner court; standing before her grave and recalling that life, one senses the human drama that unfolded behind the splendor of Edo Castle quietly rising up.
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