Senbon Enma-do
- Established: 1017
- Other Names: 光明山歓喜院引接寺 (koumyouzan kankiin injouji)
- Japanese: 千本閻魔堂 (senbon enma-dou)
Senbon Enma-dô is a Buddhist temple and prominent pilgrimage site in northern-central Kyoto dedicated to Enma (aka Yama), the King of Hell. The site is named Senbon after the thousand cherry trees, or thousand memorial tablets, that once stood here; Senbon-dôri, a major avenue running north-south past the temple, also takes its name from this.
The temple was officially founded in 1017 on a site prepared by Ono no Takamura (802-853).
Every May, the Enma-dô is home to the Senbon Enma-dô Dainenbutsu Kyôgen, the only spoken-word drama of the three great Buddhist invocation dramas of Kyoto, and an Intangible Cultural Folk Heritage, as designated by the city.
A small stone tower dedicated to Murasaki Shikibu and erected in 1386 has been designated a national cultural asset. En'a Shônin, who erected it, did so in order to elevate or restore Murasaki's reputation, which he felt had recently fallen.
References
- Plaques on-site.
