Kozenji Temple (Haguro, Inuyama)

Kozenji Temple at a Glance

Kozenji Temple (興禅寺) in Haguro, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, stands beside the site of Haguro Castle; its kuri of 1830, main hall of 1898 and gate of 1939 are Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. The address is 16 Shiroyashiki, Haguro, Inuyama City.

According to Inuyama City, Kozenji was founded in 1174 by Kajiwara Kagetoki as his family temple, and the graves of the Kajiwara clan lie in one corner of the grounds. It burned in the fighting of the Komaki-Nagakute campaign in 1584, was rebuilt in 1602 with support from Ogasawara Yoshitsugu, lord of Inuyama Castle, burned again in 1680 and was rebuilt once more.

The Temple Buildings

According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the gate is a four-legged gate with a gabled tiled roof, standing south of the main hall with L-shaped earthen walls extending to either side. The main hall faces south and has an imposing double roof, unusual for a hojo-style hall. The kuri stands east of the main hall, divided into a reception wing on the west and living quarters on the east.

The three buildings date from the late Edo, Meiji and early Showa periods, so walking from gate to main hall to kuri traces a temple rebuilt time and again. The kuri was registered in 2003, and the main hall and gate in 2006.

Visiting and Getting There

According to Inuyama City, Kozenji is about 500 metres west of Haguro Station on the Meitetsu Komaki Line, beside the Haguro Castle site, with spacious grounds on the north side of the prefectural road. No official information was found on visitor reception or access to the buildings' interiors, so be mindful of temple services when visiting.