Kinsho-ji

The main gate of Kinshô-ji

• Other Names: 瑞鳳山 (Zuihôzan)
• Japanese: 近松寺 (Kinshou-ji)

Kinshô-ji is a Buddhist temple in Karatsu, Saga prefecture. The bodaiji (family temple) of the Ogasawara clan lords of Karatsu han, it is also the site of a grave for Chikamatsu Monzaemon.

The main gate of Kinshô-ji originally belonged to Hizen Nagoya castle; it was relocated to the temple by lord of Karatsu Terasawa Hirotaka in 1598.

The temple was briefly home to Chikamatsu Monzaemon, who took the name "Chikamatsu" from the kanji of the temple's name; he studied there for a time before relocating to Kyoto, where he lived as a monk for a time before returning to secular life. Following his death, Chikamatsu's remains were divided between three gravesites - one at Kinshô-ji, one in Osaka, and one in Amagasaki (near Kobe).

The temple's small graveyard also includes the graves of Terasawa Katataka (second son of Hirotaka), Ogasawara Nagakazu (4th Ogasawara clan lord of Karatsu), and a number of other members of the Ogasawara clan.

References

• Official website, Kinshô-ji.