Tenryu-ji Temple is the headquarters of the Tenryu-ji branch of the Rinzai Sect, located in Sagatenryuji-susukinobaba-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
The temples of the Rinzai sect have two formality which are called ‘Kyoto Gozan’ and ‘Kamakura Gozan’.
Tenryu-ji Temple is the first grade of the Kyoto Gozan (Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto) and was founded by Takauji ASHIKAGA who was the first Shogun of the Muromachi bakufu.
Takauji ASHIKAGA and Emperor Godaigo who were the representative persons in the Nanboku-chō period.
Kameyama-dono Palace as an Imperial villa of the Daikaku-ji line (line of Emperor Godaigo) was converted into Tenryu-ji Temple by Takauji ASHIKAGA in memory of Emperor Godaigo in 1343.
In addition, this temple has been designated as the Michelin green guide ★ and the World Heritage List as part of the ‘Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto’.
This temple is a tourist attraction to visit by all means when a tourist goes to Arashiyama.
Contents:
- About World Heritage ‘Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto’
- About Tenryu-ji Temple
- Visitor Information
- About Kyoto Gozan (Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto)
- The highlights of Tenryu-ji Temple
- The photos of Tenryu-ji Temple
- The Goshuin (the stamp of shrine or temple) of Tenryu-ji Temple
- How to get to Tenryu-ji Temple
1.About World Heritage ‘Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto’
17 places of temples and shrines of Kyoto are designated in the ‘Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto’.
↓Details of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” is here.↓
Tenryu-ji Temple has been designated as the World Heritage List as part of the ‘Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto’.
2.About Tenryu-ji Temple
Tenryū-ji (天龍寺)—more formally known as Tenryū Shiseizen-ji (天龍資聖禅寺)—is the head temple of the Tenryū branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Buddha, and its first chief priest was Musō Soseki. Construction was completed in 1345. As a temple related to both the Ashikaga family and Emperor Go-Daigo, the temple is held in high esteem, and is ranked number one among Kyoto’s so-called Five Mountains. In 1994, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto”.
引用(citation):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenry%C5%AB-ji
Open：8:30-17:30, 8:30-17:00(October 21 – March 20)
Admission Fee(Garden and Buildings)：800 yen(High school student or older),600 yen(Elementary / Junior high school student)
Admission Fee(Hatto hall)：500 yen
Address：68, Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho, Ukyo-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 616-8385, Japan
Phone Number：+81-75-881-1235
Foundation：1339
開基：Takauji ASHIKAGA
宗派：Tenryu-ji branch of the Rinzai Sect
ご本尊：Shaka Nyorai (Shakyamuni)
Tenryu-ji Temple is the headquarters of the Tenryu-ji branch of the Rinzai Sect, located in Sagatenryuji-susukinobaba-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
Its honorific mountain prefix is Reigizan, and the formal name of this temple is “霊亀山天龍資聖禅寺(Reigizan-Tenryushisei-Zenji)”.
The name of ‘Reigizan’ (Turtle Mountain) was selected due to the shape of Mt. Ogura which lies to the west of this temple and is said to resemble the shape of a turtle’s shell.
The temple’s honorific mountain prefix ‘Reigizan’ (Spirit Turtle Mountain) was also chosen for based on this.
It was founded by Kaiki (founding patron) Takauji ASHIKAGA and Kaisan (first chief priest) Soseki Muso, and dedicated to the principal image Shakyamuni.
Tenryu-ji Temple is the first grade of the Kyoto Gozan.
It is well known that trading vessels named Tenryu-ji-bune were launched in order to raise the funds to build the temple.
(Tenryu-ji-bune refers to official trading vessels of Muromachi bakufu, dispatched to Yuan Dynasty in order to raise funds to build Tenryu-ji Temple during the Nanboku-chō period.)
This plan gained great success, and Tenryuji-bune returned to Japan having made an immense profit.
With the profits from this Tenryu-ji-bune, the Tenryu-ji Temple was built and completed in November 1343.
By the way, Saiho-ji Temple which is famous as ‘Mossy Temple’, and Hokyo-in Temple which is famous place of colored leaves in Arashiyama are a sub temples of this temple.
3.Visitor Information
・The admission fee is necessary at three places.
・The Hatto hall and the Cloud-Dragon Painting are only open to the public on specific days.
Exhibition Days : Saturdays, Sundays, Public holidays, and specific days
↓Information of the exhibition days is here.↓
・・Photography and video recording are prohibited inside the building of this temple.
(The outside of the building and the gardens are OK.)
Let’s follow a rule.
4.About Kyoto Gozan (Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto)
Kyoto Gozan Temples refers the status of a Buddhist temple, and to the system of state-sponsored temples of the Zen sect (Rinzai sect) in Kyoto among the Five Mountain System.
Now, the status of a Buddhist temple of Kyoto Gozan Temples is as follows.
別格:南禅寺(Bekkaku (exceptional) – Nanzen-ji Temple)
第一位:天龍寺(The first grade – Tenryu-ji Temple)
第二位:相国寺(The second grade – Shokoku-ji Temple)
第三位:建仁寺(The third grade – Kennin-ji Temple)
第四位:東福寺(The fourth grade – Tofuku-ji Temple)
第五位:万寿寺(The fifth grade – Manju-ji Temple)
Tenryu-ji Temple is the first grade of the Kyoto Gozan.
5.The highlights of Tenryu-ji Temple
- 勅使門:Chokushi-mon gate (gate for Imperial Envoys)
- 総門(本門):So-mon (Hon-mon) gate
- 中門:Chu-mon gate
- 庫裏:Kuri (monks’ living quarters)
- 法堂*:Hatto hall (Lecture hall)*
- 大方丈*:O-hojo*
- 小方丈(書院)*:Ko-hojo(Shoin)*
- 方丈前庭(特別名勝･史跡)*:Front garden of Hojo(Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site)*
- 曹源池庭園(特別名勝･史跡)*:Sogen Garden(Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site)*
- 祥雲閣*:Shoun-kaku*
- 甘雨亭*:Kan-u-tei*
- 多宝殿*:Taho-den hall*
- 百花苑*:Hyakka-en garden*
「*印」のついている見どころは有料エリアです。(This seal (*) is a pay area.)
●勅使門:Chokushi-mon gate (gate for Imperial Envoys)
This is the Chokushi-mon gate (gate for Imperial Envoys) built in the Momoyama period which was designated as a tangible cultural property designated by Kyoto City.
This gate is the oldest building in this temple.
●総門(本門):So-mon (Hon-mon) gate
This is the So-mon (Hon-mon) gate.
●中門:Chu-mon gate
This is the Chu-mon gate built in the Momoyama period which was designated as a tangible cultural property designated by Kyoto City.
●庫裏:Kuri (monks’ living quarters)
This is the Kuri (monks’ living quarters) which was built in 1899 of the Meiji period.
A picture of Dharma which is a symbol of the Zen Buddhism is put at the entrance of this building.
This picture was drawn by Seiko HIRATA who acted as the heads of the Rinzai Sect.
●法堂*:Hatto hall (Lecture hall)*
This is the Hatto hall (Lecture hall) rebuilt in 1900 of the Meiji period.
The Shaka Sanzon statue (statue of Shakyamuni flanked by two attendants) which is the principal idol is enshrined in this building.
There is the “Unryu-zu (Cloud-Dragon Painting)” which was drawn by Matazo KAYAMA in 1997 on the ceiling of this building.
*Photography and video recording are prohibited inside this building.
●大方丈*:O-hojo*
This is the O-hojo which was built in 1899 of the Meiji period.
The sitting statue of Shaka Nyorai of the important cultural property is enshrined in this building.
This is the replica of “Unryu-zu” (painting of dragon and clouds) which was drawn by Shohaku SOGA who was a painter of the Edo period in 1763.
The genuine article of this picture is possessed now in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
●小方丈(書院)*:Ko-hojo(Shoin)*
This is the Ko-hojo(Shoin) which was built in 1924 of the Taisho period.
Because this building has a role as the Shoin (Study hall), the events such as Buddhist memorial services are held in this building.
●方丈前庭(特別名勝･史跡)*:Front garden of Hojo(Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site)*
This is the front garden of Hojo which was designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site in the south side of the Hojo.
This garden is the Japanese rock garden (Karesansui garden).
●曹源池庭園(特別名勝･史跡)*:Sogen Garden(Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site)*
This is the “Sogen Garden” which was designated as a Special Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site in the west side of the Hojo.
This garden was created by Muso Soseki, and it’s a circular promenade centered around Sogen-chi Pond.
●祥雲閣*:Shoun-kaku*
This is the Shoun-kaku which is the tea-house.
This building was made in imitation of a tea-house of Omote-Senke family which is called Zangetsu-tei.
This building is on the right side of the corridor.
●甘雨亭*:Kan-u-tei*
This is the Kan-u-kaku which is the tea-house.
This building is also on the right side of the corridor.
●多宝殿*:Taho-den hall*
This is the Taho-den hall which was built in 1934 of the Showa period.
A sacred image of the Emperor Godaigo is enshrined in this building.
●百花苑*:Hyakka-en garden*
There is a garden called Hyakka-en garden in the north side of the Taho-den hall.
There is the road of bamboo forest of sagano when we leave the north gate of the Hyakka-en garden.
6.The photos of Tenryu-ji Temple
7.The Goshuin (the stamp of shrine or temple) of Tenryu-ji Temple
This Temple’s Sumigaki(The words which was written with a sumi(black ink)) is “覚王寶殿(Kakuohoden)” which is the another name of Hatto hall of this temple.
8.How to get to Tenryu-ji Temple
The nearest station of Tenryu-ji Temple is “Randen Arashiyama Station”, “Hankyu Arashiyama Station” or “JR Saga-Arashiyama Station”
(We can also go by bus from “Hankyu Kawaramachi Station”, “Keihan Gion-Shijo Station” and “JR Kyoto Station”.)
■Route Example (From Osaka station to Randen Arashiyama Station)
■Route Example (From Namba station to Randen Arashiyama Station)
■Route Example (From JR Kyoto station to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station)
■Randen Arashiyama Station→Tenryu-ji Temple
We go on foot from Randen Arashiyama Station to Tenryu-ji Temple.
It’s about 3 minutes (150m) on foot.
■When you get on a bus from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station
Timetable and Route Search of bus
[Timetable]Route No.11
Bus company：Kyoto City Bus
Routes/Destination：No.11[Bound for Saga Arashiyama]
Boarding bus stop：Shijo-Kawaramachi[D]
Alighting bus stop：Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae (Tenryuji Temple)
Bus fare：230 yen
Time required：About 45 min
■When you get on a bus from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station
Timetable and Route Search of bus
[Timetable]Route No.11
Bus company：Kyoto City Bus
Routes/Destination：No.11[Bound for Saga Arashiyama]
Boarding bus stop：Shijo Keihan-mae[C]
Alighting bus stop：Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae (Tenryuji Temple)
Bus fare：230 yen
Time required：About 60 min
■When you get on a bus from JR Kyoto Station
Timetable and Route Search of bus
[Timetable]Route No.28
Bus company：Kyoto City Bus
Routes/Destination：No.28[Bound for Daikakuji Temple Via Arashiyama]
Boarding bus stop：Kyoto Sta.[D3]
Alighting bus stop：Arashiyama Tenryuji-mae (Tenryuji Temple)
Bus fare：230 yen
Time required：About 45 min
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