Kogaku-ji
Encyclopedia
, originally Kōgaku-an, is one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japan
ese Zen
, founded in 1380 by Bassui Tokushō
. The temple is located in southern Yamanashi Prefecture
, Japan near Mount Fuji
. Due to its great popularity under the leadership of Bassui, the Emperor Go-Kameyama
of the late 14th century declared it "a temple to pray for the nation" (Head Temples - Kōgaku-ji). The name was changed to Kōgaku-ji in the 16th century through the petitioning of General Takeda Shingen
. In the late 18th century much of the original temple complex was destroyed, and after it was declared the head temple of the Kogaku-ji branch it was fully restored in 1908. Kōgaku-ji governs eight sub-temples and fifty temple affiliates.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
, founded in 1380 by Bassui Tokushō
Bassui Tokusho
was a Rinzai Zen Master born in modern day Kanagawa Prefecture who had trained with Sōtō, Rinzai and Ch'an masters of his time. Bassui was unhappy with the state of Zen practice in Japan during his time, so he set out in life with the mission of revitalizing it. The problems he saw were really two...
. The temple is located in southern Yamanashi Prefecture
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
, Japan near Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
. Due to its great popularity under the leadership of Bassui, the Emperor Go-Kameyama
Emperor Go-Kameyama
was the 99th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He ruled from 1383 to October 21, 1392, becoming the last Emperor of the Southern Court...
of the late 14th century declared it "a temple to pray for the nation" (Head Temples - Kōgaku-ji). The name was changed to Kōgaku-ji in the 16th century through the petitioning of General Takeda Shingen
Takeda Shingen
, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...
. In the late 18th century much of the original temple complex was destroyed, and after it was declared the head temple of the Kogaku-ji branch it was fully restored in 1908. Kōgaku-ji governs eight sub-temples and fifty temple affiliates.
See also
- Glossary of Japanese BuddhismGlossary of Japanese BuddhismThis is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...
, terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture - List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)