Tōfuku-ji

Tōfuku-ji (東福寺) is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. Tōfuku-ji takes its name from two temples in Nara, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji. It is one of the so-called Kyoto Gozan or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto". Its honorary sangō prefix is Enichi-san (慧日山).

History

Tōfuku-ji was founded in 1236 by the imperial chancellor Kujō Michiie. He appointed the monk Enni as founding priest, who had studied Rinzai Zen Buddhism in China under the monk Wuzhun Shifan. The temple was burned but rebuilt in the 15th century according to original plans. Tofuku-ji was one of the five temples of the Five Mountain System.

The temple was greatly reduced in size from 70 buildings to 25 during the Meiji era after the Shinbutsu bunri decree. In 1881, a fire burned down many major buildings such as the Main Hall, the Hōjo, the Hattō and the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. During the Russo-Japanese War , the temple area was requisitioned and became a prisoner-of-war camp for Russians.

Both the main hall and the Hattō were rebuilt in 1917, and a new statue of Sakyamuni Buddha was later relocated to the temple in 1934.

Abbots

In 1486 Ryōan Keigo became the 171st abbot of Tōfuku-ji. At the end of the 16th century Ankokuji Ekei was appointed abbot. From 1980 to 2009 Tōfuku-ji has been led by head abbot Keidō Fukushima.

Architecture

Tōfuku-ji's main gate is the oldest sanmon in Japan. It is a National Treasure of Japan. It is two stories high and five bays wide. The central three bays are doors.

Currently, the Tōfuku-ji complex includes 24 sub-temples, though in the past the number has been as high as 53.

Artwork

Tōfuku-ji's large nehan-zu painting depicts Buddha on his death bed. This massive image (7 x 14 meters) is the second largest in Japan. The image at nearby Sennyū-ji is the largest of its kind in Japan, measuring 8 x 16 meters. Both images are rarely displayed, most recently in 2003 for three days only.

A 1238 portrait painting of Wuzhun Shifan along with an inscription by an anonymous author was brought to the temple by Enni in the 1240s and remains there today. Plaques of Wuzhun's calligraphy is also kept at Tōfuku-ji.

In 1933 the Nihonga painter Inshō Dōmoto painted the large and vivid "Blue Dragon" ceiling painting for one of the halls, which he painted in 17 days.

Garden

There are a number of gardens in the various precincts of Tōfuku-ji. The current garden was designed by landscape architect Mirei Shigemori in the 1930s. The moss garden in particular has been emblematic of the renewal of Japanese gardening principles in the 20th Century.

The temple features a large number of Japanese maple trees, and is most crowded during the autumn season when people flock to see the autumn foliage. It is a tradition to view the leaves from the Tsūten-kyō bridge.

See also

  • Zen
  • Enni
  • Wuzhun Shifan
  • List of Buddhist temples
  • List of Buddhist temples in Kyoto
  • List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
  • List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
  • List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
  • For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism.

References

Further reading

  • Kawaguchi, Yoko (2014). Japanese Zen Gardens (Hardback). London: Francis Lincoln. ISBN .

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
The Ritz-Carlton
11 January 2016
Tofukuji is a large Zen temple in southeastern Kyoto that is particularly famous for its spectacular autumn colors, founded in 1236. Especially, Hojo Garden is worth a visit early in the morning!
M. R.
16 January 2012
Tofukuji Temple is a bit of a walk from the JR Tokufuji station. A slightly uphill walk, but well worth it as this temple has some of the best views. Come during Autumn for the changing leaves.
Tom Van Goylen
18 March 2015
We came here in early March before the flowers and trees started blooming. The garden isn't that impressive at this time so I'd recommend visiting here in spring or autumn.
龍
2 December 2014
臨済宗東福寺派の大本山で山号は慧日山。開創は嘉禎2年 (1236年) 開山は円爾、開基は九条道家。九条家の氏寺で、東大寺と興福寺から1字ずつとって寺名とした。創建当初は、真言・天台・禅の三宗兼学で京都五山の第4位。国宝の三門は禅宗様としては日本最古とされる。その他にも歴代多くの名僧を輩出しており、「元亨釈書」の著者である虎関師錬、室町時代に仏画や水墨画に多大な影響を及ぼした吉山明兆等が著名。
龍
2 December 2014
東福寺は主要伽藍を中心に25の塔頭寺院があり、その中でも通天橋は本堂から通じる廊下がそのまま屋根付きの橋となったもので、この付近は特に紅葉の名所として有名。橋を渡ると開山円爾を祀る常楽庵開山堂 (重文) がある。寺宝に無準師範像、宋版太平御覧等は国宝、重要文化財に禅堂、偃月橋、浴室、東司、客殿、塔司寮、庫裏、木造釈迦如来及び迦葉阿難立像 (仏殿本尊) 等多数で、本坊庭園は国の名勝に指定。
Nao
20 January 2016
方丈庭園、三門、通天橋と各々拝観料が必要になります。時間の都合で方丈庭園のみ拝観。見事な庭園でした。御朱印は方丈で頂けます。通天橋は紅葉の季節に訪れたいですね。
Load more comments
foursquare.com
9.1/10
9,818 people have been here

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
THE JUNEI HOTEL Kyoto Imperial Palace West

starting $625

Hidden Inn Gosho

starting $0

Kyo-machiya Hotel Shiki Juraku

starting $412

Hotel Rubino Kyoto Horikawa

starting $76

Rubino Kyoto Horikawa

starting $76

Guesthouse Goettingen

starting $54

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Ōtsu, Shiga

is the capital city of Shiga, Japan.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Uji, Kyoto

is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Fushimi Inari-taisha

Fushimi Inari Taisha (伏見稲荷大社) is the head shrine of Inari, located in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sanjūsangen-dō

Sanjūsangen-dō (三十三間堂, Sanjūsangen-dō) on buddhalaistem

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kyoto National Museum

کیوتو قومی عجائب-گھر  جاپان دے پرمکھ کلا عجائبگھراں وچوں اک اے۔ ای

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Mimizuka

The Шаблон:Nihongo, an alteration of the original Шабло

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kyoto Tower

Kyoto Tower (京都タワー, Kyōto-tawā) is an observation tower located in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kiyomizu-dera

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺), known more fully as Otowa-san Kiyomizu-dera (音羽山清

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Wat Rai Khing

Wat Rai Khing (Thai: วัดไร่ขิง; lit: temple on ginger farm) is a

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Kaba Aye Pagoda

Kaba Aye Pagoda (Burmese: ကမ္ဘာအေးစေတီ; pronounced ]; also spel

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Wat Pho

Wat Pho (ไทย. วัดโพธิ์), also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon วัดพระเชตุพ

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Hase-dera (Kamakura)

Hase-dera (海光山慈照院長谷寺, Kaikō-zan Jishō-in Hase-dera), commonl

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Wat Phra Kaew

The Wat Phra Kaew (English Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thai:

See all similar places