Senju-ji also known as Takadayama (高田山), is the chief Buddhist temple

Buddhist temples in Japan

Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. In...

 of the Takada branch of Jōdo Shinshū

Jodo Shinshu

, also known as Shin Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Today, Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.-Shinran :...

, a Japanese sect of Buddhism. Founded by Shinran

Shinran

was a Japanese Buddhist monk, who was born in Hino at the turbulent close of the Heian Period and lived during the Kamakura Period...

 in 1226, it was later named an imperial temple (勅願寺, chokuganji). Though the temple's central sacred mountain (本山, motoyama) is located in Tsu

Tsu, Mie

is the capital of Mie Prefecture, Japan. The city of Tsu is located on Ise Bay, east of the city. Tsu is bounded to the north by Suzuka and Kameyama; to the west by Iga, Nabari, and Nara Prefecture; and to the south by Matsuzaka city.-History:...

 city, Mie prefecture

Mie Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan which is part of the Kansai regions on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Tsu.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, Mie prefecture was known as Ise Province and Iga Province....

, where Senju-ji was originally founded, today the head temple (本寺, hondera) is in Takata, Ninomiya

Ninomiya, Tochigi

was a town located in Haga District. It lies in the extreme south-east of Tochigi, Japan.On March 23, 2009 Ninomiya was merged into the city of Mooka....

 town, in Tochigi prefecture

Tochigi Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...

.

The temple is named after the prayer chant senju-nenbutsu, and as a result of the fact that another branch built a temple called Senjō-ji; thus, a similar but different name was chosen. Named an imperial temple in 1477, Senju-ji was later elevated further, to the classification of Monzeki

Monzeki

Monzeki were Japanese Buddhist priests of aristocratic or imperial lineage. The term was also applied to the temples in which they lived....

-dera (門跡寺) in 1574.

Today, the Takada branch has roughly 300,000 followers.

See also

• List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
• For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
  Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
  This 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...
  
  .

External links

36.393828°N 140.023028°W (Tochigi)
34.762135°N 136.5035°W (Mie)