Unryu-in Temple (Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto City) is a Buddhist temple of the Sennyu-ji school of the Shingon Sect.
Its principal image is Yakushi Sanzon (three statues that comprise the Yakushi Triad).
Because the buddhist mortuary tablets of successive emperors are enshrined, the Japanese imperial crest that is in a shape of a chrysanthemum is designed in the garden of the precincts.
The view from the temple building is particularly beautiful.
Please try to go.
History of Unryu-in
Let’s study the history of this temple with me.
I think that we can enjoy sightseeing of this temple more by learning the history of it. XD
It was built in 1372, period of the northern and southern court, by the order of the Emperor Gokogon (後光厳天皇) who was emperor of the Northern Court.
The temple’s honorific mountain prefix is Rurisan and its principal image is Yakushi-Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru).
The name of this temple, Unryu (雲龍), means dragon.
In the Buddhism, dragon is one of the Hachibushu (八部衆), eight deities who guard Buddhism.
This temple had deep relation to the successive Emperors of period of the Northern and Southern Court.
Especially, Emperor Goenyu (January 11, 1359 – June 6, 1393) who was the fifth Northern Court Emperor started the tradition of meeting to copy sutras by hand, and the temple is still known as a training hall for copying sutras.
The temple was later destroyed by fire in 1470 during the Onin War.
But it was reconstructed with the help of Emperor Go-Kashiwabara (後柏原天皇) who donated the imperial palace to the temple as the main hall.
In addition, the Buddhist mortuary tablets of successive emperors of northern courts are worshiped in Reimei-den Hall of this temple.
As mentioned above, because it has a deep connection to the Imperial family, high status of a Buddhist temple called Bekkaku-Honzan (special head temple) is given to this temple.
Information for visitors
■Information
Address：36, Sennyuji Yamanochicho, Higashiyama-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, 605-0977, Japan
Phone：+81-75-541-3916
Foundation：1372
Founder：Chikugan Shoko (竹巌聖皐)
Sect：Shingon Sect Sennyu-ji School (真言宗泉涌寺派)
Principal image：Yakushi-Nyorai (薬師如来)
■Open
9:00~17:00（Reception is closed at 16:30.）
■Admission fee
| Regular | 400 yen |
| + Maccha (green tea) | 900 yen |
| + Maccha and Try Copying a Sutra | 1500 yen |
■Other Informations
・Photography and video recording are prohibited inside the building of this temple.
・The worship method of a Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple, please refer to the following article.
Next, Let’s go to see the highlights of this temple with me!
Highlights of Unryu-in
- 勅使門（不明門）:Akezu-no-mon Gate
- 山門:San-mon Gate
- 龍華殿*【重要文化財】:Ryuge-den Hall*【Important cultural property】
- 書院*:Sho-in Hall*
- 悟りの間*:Satori-no-ma*
- 五色の紅葉*: Colored leaves of five colors*
- れんげの間*:Renge-no-ma*
- 大輪の間*:Dairin-no-ma*
- 中庭*:Courtyard*
- 霊明殿*:Reimei-den Hall*
- 石灯篭*:Stone lantern*
- 庫裏:Kuri
- 走り大黒天*:Running Daikokuten*
- 鐘楼:Shoro
- 鎮守社:Chinju-sha Shrine
This mark ‘*‘ is a pay area.
勅使門（不明門）:Akezu-no-mon Gate
山門:San-mon Gate
龍華殿*【重要文化財】:Ryuge-den Hall*【Important cultural property】
The original building was built in 1389 of the Muromachi period, but burnt down in a fire.
So, it was rebuilt In the Kanei era during the Edo period.
‘Ryuge-den (龍華殿)’ is one of the old name of this temple.
Wooden seated statue of Yakushi Nyorai of the principal image is enshrined in this building.
書院*:Sho-in Hall*
悟りの間*:Satori-no-ma*
The circular window and square window in this room are called enlightenment and delusive windows respectively.
五色の紅葉*: Colored leaves of five colors*
When it is autumn, this maple changes color to five colors.
れんげの間*:Renge-no-ma*
In this room, there is a windowed shoji called Yukimi-shoji (雪見障子).
You can see Camellia, Stone lantern, Maple, Pine from left to right.
大輪の間*:Dairin-no-ma*
中庭*:Courtyard*
The flat dry landscape garden is covered with moss and decorated with stone arrangements and shrubs.
霊明殿*:Reimei-den Hall*
It was rebuilt in 1868 of the Meiji period.
The Buddhist mortuary tablets of successive emperors of northern courts are worshiped in this building.
石灯篭*:Stone lantern*
It was built in the Edo period owing to the donation made by Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA (徳川慶喜) who was the last shogun of the Edo bakufu.
庫裏:Kuri
走り大黒天*:Running Daikokuten*
It is named Daikokuten (大黒天) because “Maha” means big (大) (or great) and “kala” means black (黒)).
The statue is not like Daikokuten, the god of fortune familiar in recent years, but more like an Indian god of war named Mahakala with a strained expression.
鐘楼:Shoro
鎮守社:Chinju-sha Shrine
Video of Unryu-in
Photo of Unryu-in
Goshuin (red ink stamp) of Unryu-in
Unryu-in’s main red ink stamp, ‘Ryugeden (龍華殿)’.
Unryu-in’s sub red ink stamp, ‘Daikokuten (大黒天)’.
It is the 5th Shichifukujin of the Kyoto Senzan Shichifukujin (Seven Deities of Good Luck).
How to get to Unryu-in
There is the Unryu-in Temple in the precincts south side of the Sennyu-ji Temple.
The nearest station is Keihan Railway or JR Tofukuji Station.
(We can also go by bus from JR Kyoto Station and Keihan Gion-Shijo Station.)
From Osaka Sta. to Tofukuji Sta. (by train)
Timetable and Route Search (train)
1.Get on the JR Kyoto Line from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station.
2.Change to the JR Nara Line at Kyoto Station.
3.Get on the JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station to Tofukuji Station.
From Namba Sta. to Tofukuji Sta. (by train)
Timetable and Route Search (train)
1.Get on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line from Namba Station to Umeda Station.
2.Change to the JR Kyoto Line at Osaka Station.
3.Get on the JR Kyoto Line from Osaka Station to Kyoto Station.
4.Change to the JR Nara Line at Kyoto Station.
5.Get on the JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station to Tofukuji Station.
From Kyoto Sta. to Tofukuji Sta. (by train)
Timetable and Route Search (train)
1.Get on the JR Nara Line from Kyoto Station to Tofukuji Station.
From Tofukuji Sta. (on foot)
It’s about 25 minutes (1.2 km) on foot.
Get on a bus from Kyoto Station
Timetable and Route Search (bus)
①Please get on the Kyoto City Bus No.208 or 88 (bus stop D2) and get off at Sennyuji-michi (Sennyuji Temple).
Bus company：Kyoto City Bus
Routes/Destination
-No. 208[Bound for Tofukuji Temple]
-No. 88[Bound for Tofukuji Temple](Only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
Boarding bus stop：Kyoto Sta. [D2]
Alighting bus stop：Sennyuji-michi (Sennyuji Temple)
Bus fare：230 yen
Time required：About 15 min
[Timetable]No. 208[Bound for Tofukuji Temple]
[Timetable]No. 88[Bound for Tofukuji Temple](Only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays)
Get on a bus from Gion-shijo Station
Timetable and Route Search (bus)
①Please get on the Kyoto City Bus No.2078 (Shijo Keihan-mae [A]bus stop) and get off at Sennyuji-michi (Sennyuji Temple).
Bus company：Kyoto City Bus
Routes/Destination：No. 207[Bound for Tofukuji Temple Via Kiyomizu-dera Temple]
Boarding bus stop：Shijo Keihan-mae [A]
Alighting bus stop：Sennyuji-michi (Sennyuji Temple)
Bus fare：230 yen
Time required：About 15 min
[Timetable]No. 207[Bound for Tofukuji Temple Via Kiyomizu-dera Temple]
Take a taxi
From Kyoto Station：about 1,000 yen ~ (about 10 minutes)
From Gion-Shijo Station：about 1,500 yen ~ (about 15 minutes)
・Let’s show a taxi driver the following phrase.
・If you want to call a taxi, let’s show the following phrase.
[Phone number of taxi dispatch : Around the Kyoto Station]*Japanese text only.
Hotel search & reservation
How did you like it?
Have a nice trip! XD
