Ankoku-ji Temple

Overview

Ankoku-ji Temple is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple of the Myōshin-ji school located in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. Its mountain name is Taihei-zan, and its principal image is Shakamuni Buddha. Ankoku-ji is one of the Ankoku-ji temples built throughout Japan by Ashikaga Takauji and Ashikaga Tadayoshi. This temple was founded in 1347 (during the reign of Emperor Suteharu). In its heyday, it was a large temple complex with seven halls and pagodas and nine sub-temples. However, during the Sengoku period (Warring States period), it was caught in the conflict between the Mikigami clan (affiliated with the Uesugi clan) based in Takayama, and the Hirose clan (affiliated with the Takeda clan) based in Kokubunji. The temple suffered two major fires during the Tenshō era (1573-1592) and the Eiroku era (1558-1570), destroying all buildings except for the sutra repository (kyōzō), the Kaisan-dō (founder's hall), and the Kumano Shrine (the temple's guardian shrine). The current main hall was rebuilt in 1624 (the first year of the Kan'ei era) by Kanamori Shigeyori, the third feudal lord of the Hida-Takayama domain. Ankoku-ji's sutra repository, built in 1408, is designated as a National Treasure. It features an irimoya-zukuri style roof (a type of gable roof) with kakigara-buki (thin wooden shingle) roofing. It is a stunning fusion of the simple design characteristic of Zen architecture and the traditional wooden architecture style of Hida. Inside the repository is a rinzō (a rotating sutra repository), the oldest of its kind in Japan with a clearly documented construction date, making it extremely precious. Ankoku-ji Temple offers not only a glimpse into history and culture, but also a tranquil and serene atmosphere. When visiting Takayama, be sure to visit Ankoku-ji Temple and experience its precious National Treasure architecture and peaceful ambiance.