Chishakuin Temple

Chishaku-in Temple is the head temple of the Chizan branch of Shingon Buddhism, located in the Higashiyama area of Kyoto. It is a large temple at the eastern end of Shichijo Street, founded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to pray for the repose of his eldest son Tsurumatsu, who died at the age of three. The buildings have been lost to fires many times, but the sliding-screen paintings preserved in the repository are designated as National Treasures. These Momoyama-period masterpieces, painted by the school of Hasegawa Tohaku, include works such as Cherry Blossoms, Maples, Pines with Autumn Grasses, Pines with Abelmoschus, and Snowy Pines, and among them the Cherry Blossoms and Maples are considered representative masterpieces of Japanese screen and wall painting. The garden is a stroll-style pond garden, with a long narrow pond facing the Hojo and Shoin, a small artificial hill beyond it, and a waterfall cascading from a stone arrangement. From late May to late June, carefully clipped satsuki azaleas and azaleas are especially beautiful, creating a flower-filled visit together with the painted screens. A modern, well-equipped temple lodging facility called Chishaku-in Kaikan is attached, and overnight guests participate in morning services. Nearby are Sanjusangen-do, famous for its Thousand-Armed Kannon; Yogen-in, known for its paintings of elephants on cedar doors; and the Kyoto National Museum.