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[[Image:Kenchoji-sanmon.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The main gate, or "Tanuki-mon," at Kenchô-ji.]]

[[Image:Kenchoji-sanmon.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The main gate, or "Tanuki-mon," at Kenchô-ji.]]

*''Founded: [[1253]], [[Doryu|Dôryû]]''

*''Founded: [[1253]], [[Lanxi Daolong]]''

*''Japanese'': 建長寺 ''(kenchou-ji)''

*''Japanese'': 建長寺 ''(kenchou-ji)''

Kenchô-ji is a [[Rinzai]] [[Zen]] temple in [[Kamakura]], the first temple in Japan to be founded as a Zen temple<ref>It is not the first Zen temple to be established in the country, temples founded under a different sect having previously been converted to Zen use.</ref>. Kenchô-ji is counted as number one among the ''[[Kamakura Gosan]]'' (the five top Zen temples in the city).

Kenchô-ji is a [[Rinzai]] [[Zen]] temple in [[Kamakura]], the first temple in Japan to be founded as a Zen temple<ref>It is not the first Zen temple to be established in the country, temples founded under a different sect having previously been converted to Zen use.</ref>. Kenchô-ji is counted as number one among the ''[[Kamakura Gosan]]'' (the five top Zen temples in the city).

It was founded in [[1253]], when [[Hojo Tokiyori|Hôjô Tokiyori]] invited the Chinese ([[Song Dynasty|Song]]) monk [[Doryu|Dôryû]] to found it. Dôryû would be the first to be named a Japanese Zen master by a Japanese Emperor.   

It was founded in [[1253]], when [[Hojo Tokiyori|Hôjô Tokiyori]] invited the Chinese ([[Song Dynasty|Song]]) monk [[Lanxi Daolong]] (J: ''Rankei Dôryû'') to found it. Daolong would be the first to be named a Japanese Zen master by a Japanese Emperor.   

It was originally built in the form of Chinese Ch'an temples, with seven buildings at the center, including a ''[[hatto|hattô]]'' (Hall of the Law), ''[[butsuden]]'' (Buddha Hall), and ''[[sanmon]]'' and ''sômon'' gates. At its height, the temple featured 49 ''[[tatchu|tatchû]]'' (sub-temples within the same compound). Though most burned down over the course of the 14th-15th centuries, a lot was rebuilt in the early [[Edo period]], under the guidance of [[Takuan Osho|Takuan Oshô]]. A Shintô shrine located in the hills directly above the temple serves as the ''[[chinju]]'' guardian shrine for the temple; chiefly associated with ''[[Hansobo|Hansôbô gongen]]'', a deified ''[[tengu]]'', the shrine contains includes numerous statues of ''tengu'', scattered across a small section of the hill.

It was originally built in the form of Chinese Ch'an temples, with seven buildings at the center, including a ''[[hatto|hattô]]'' (Hall of the Law), ''[[butsuden]]'' (Buddha Hall), and ''[[sanmon]]'' and ''sômon'' gates. At its height, the temple featured 49 ''[[tatchu|tatchû]]'' (sub-temples within the same compound). Though most burned down over the course of the 14th-15th centuries, a lot was rebuilt in the early [[Edo period]], under the guidance of [[Takuan Soho|Takuan Sôhô]]. A Shintô shrine located in the hills directly above the temple serves as the ''[[chinju]]'' guardian shrine for the temple; chiefly associated with ''[[Hansobo|Hansôbô gongen]]'', a deified ''[[tengu]]'', the shrine contains includes numerous statues of ''tengu'', scattered across a small section of the hill.

Seven Chinese junipers which stand in the compound, noted as famous historical landmarks<!--名勝史跡-->, are said to have been planted during the temple's founding, making them over 750 years old. The temple's garden is said to have been designed by [[Muso Soseki|Musô Soseki]], and a dragon painting on the ceiling of the ''[[hatto|hattô]]'' (lecture hall) was created by ''[[Nihonga]]'' painter Koizumi Junsaku in 2000, in honor of the then-upcoming 750th anniversary of the temple's founding.

Seven Chinese junipers which stand in the compound, noted as famous historical landmarks<!--名勝史跡-->, are said to have been planted during the temple's founding, making them over 750 years old. The temple's garden is said to have been designed by [[Muso Soseki|Musô Soseki]], and a dragon painting on the ceiling of the ''[[hatto|hattô]]'' (lecture hall) was created by ''[[Nihonga]]'' painter Koizumi Junsaku in 2000, in honor of the then-upcoming 750th anniversary of the temple's founding.