Chingoku-zan Kannô-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in Izumi City, Kagoshima prefecture. One of the oldest Zen temples in the country, it was founded by Eisai in 1194, at the request of Honda Sadachika, a retainer of Shimazu Tadahisa. Graves for the first five heads of the Shimazu clan can be found on the grounds, as they can at Honryû-ji in Kagoshima as well.
The temple fell into decline for a time in the 13th century, but was revived by Shimazu Tadamune (1251-1325). After that, it received considerable patronage from the Shimazu Sôshû[1] and Sasshû branch families, and from the local Honda family.
Kannô-ji was closed in the anti-Buddhist policies of the early Meiji period, but was later re-opened and remains active today.
References
- "Kannô-ji," Shimazu-ke ga hagukunda bunka, Shôkoshûseikan official website.
- ↑ 総州家, one of the two branches into which the main Shimazu lineage was divided at the time. Not to be confused with the cadet Sôshû 相州 Shimazu family.