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[[Shogun]] Ashikaga Yoshimitsu practiced ''[[zazen]]'' (seated meditation), and considered taking the tonsure later in life; in [[1382]], he attended a ceremony led by [[Muso Soseki|Musô Soseki]], and spoke to figures such as Shun'oku Myôha and Gidô Shûshin about establishing a temple. At their suggestion, he named it Jôten Shôkokuji, after a Chinese temple with the same name. The temple was constructed over the period of 1382-[[1392]], and burned down completely two years later.

[[Shogun]] Ashikaga Yoshimitsu practiced ''[[zazen]]'' (seated meditation), and considered taking the tonsure later in life; in [[1382]], he attended a ceremony led by [[Muso Soseki|Musô Soseki]], and spoke to figures such as Shun'oku Myôha and Gidô Shûshin about establishing a temple. At their suggestion, he named it Jôten Shôkokuji, after a Chinese temple with the same name. The temple was constructed over the period of 1382-[[1392]], and burned down completely two years later.

Rebuilding began almost immediately, and after some unfortunate incidents with lightning striking and destroying newly rebuilt structures, by [[1407]] the temple once again resembled its original form.

Rebuilding began almost immediately, and construction began as well in [[1399]] on a seven-tiered 110-meter pagoda which upon completion was the tallest in Japan. This was destroyed by lightning shortly afterwards, however.<ref name=asahi>Tomoyoshi Kubo, "[http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201607090039.html Artifact may be from long-lost pagoda, tallest ever built]," ''Asahi Shimbun'', 9 July 2016.</ref> After some further unfortunate incidents with lightning striking and destroying other newly rebuilt structures, the temple once again resembled its original form by [[1407]]. Another effort to build a pagoda was begun in [[1470]], but this was destroyed by lightning as well.<ref name=asahi/>

The temple was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times afterwards, but the Great Dharma Hall (法堂, ''[[hatto|hattô]]'') remains today treasured as the oldest extant example in Japan of a particular Muromachi period Zen style of architecture. The foundations of some buildings never rebuilt are visible just outside the lotus pond.

The temple was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times afterwards, but the Great Dharma Hall (法堂, ''[[hatto|hattô]]'') remains today treasured as the oldest extant example in Japan of a particular Muromachi period Zen style of architecture. The foundations of some buildings never rebuilt are visible just outside the lotus pond.

==References==

==References==

*Plaques on-site.

*Plaques on-site.

==External Links==

==External Links==