Kōdai-ji

Kōdai-ji
Kōdai-ji
高台寺
	Garden with Kangetsudai and Kaisan-dō
Religion
Affiliation	Zen Buddhism
Sect	Rinzai
District	Higashiyama-ku
Prefecture	Kyoto Prefecture
Region	Kyoto
Location
Location	Kyoto, Japan
Country	Japan
	Shown within Japan
Prefecture	Kyoto Prefecture
Geographic coordinates	35°00′03″N 135°46′52″E / 35.000761°N 135.781114°E
Architecture
Founder	Kōdai-in
Funded by	Tokugawa Ieyasu
Date established	1606
Completed	1606

Kōdai-ji (高台寺, Kōdai-ji), formally identified as Jubuzan Kōdai-ji (鷲峰山高台寺, Jubuzan Kōdai-ji), is a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan—the largest subtemple of the Kennin-ji branch.

History

It was established in 1606 by the nun Kōdai-in (often known by the title Kita no Mandokoro), who was the widow of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, to pray for her late husband. The principal image is a statue of Shaka.

The gardens of Kōdai-ji are a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.^[1]

The temple possesses a number of objects designated as Important Cultural Assets. Among these are the Main Gate and the Spirit Hall, noted for its use of maki-e. Lacquerware has a tradition at this temple.^[2] The temple is nicknamed the "maki-e temple". One of the maki-e patterns used on a natsume tea utensil is called Kōdai-ji bun natsume (高台寺文棗), featuring the imperial chrysanthemum seal and the paulownia seal of the regent.^[3]^[4]^[5]

The treasury also holds paintings, including one of Hideyoshi, as well as textiles, and a bronze bell with an inscription dating it to 1606.

The android Mindar has given sermons on the Heart Sutra at Kōdai-ji since 2019.^[6]

Portrait of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, kept at Kōdai-ji's treasury, is registered as an Important Cultural Asset
Ihō-an, a teahouse in the temple's grounds
Hashin-tei gravel garden in spring