Fushimi Castle - Shodenji

This beautiful little temple in the northern outskirts of Kyoto hides a dark past. First of all, it is an old temple dating back to 1282 on this site. It was burned down during the Onin War, but was rebuilt with the aid of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and then Tokugawa Ieyasu. The main hall that you see here

Fushimi Castle - Shodenji

正伝寺

This beautiful little temple in the northern outskirts of Kyoto hides a dark past. First of all, it is an old temple dating back to 1282 on this site. It was burned down during the Onin War, but was rebuilt with the aid of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and then Tokugawa Ieyasu. The main hall that you see here is a National Important Cultural Property as are the paintings inside. The hall was relocated from Fushimi Castle after a brief stint as a hall at Konchiin, a part of the Nanzenji complex. The mottled color on the ceiling of the outer porch (engage) is actually blood stains. The ceiling was made from the wooden planks of the corridor where Torii Mototada and others took their own lives when Fushimi Castle was beseiged. The wooden planks with the blood stains were not used out of some morbid fascination with their deaths but rather as a memorial to their sacrifice and loyalty.

This is a fantastic little temple, even if is a bit out of the way to get to. I really like small temples in the woods with a nice garden or view, more so than many of the bigger and flashier temples around the area. This one has all that and a great historical connection too.

More great photos of this temple may be seen on their website: http://shodenji-kyoto.jp

Gallery

Loading map...

Fushimi Castle - Shodenji

Fushimi Castle - Shodenji

正伝寺

Gallery

Feature Pages