The Mausoleum of Kuroda Josui
The Ryokoin Temple Kuroda Family Mausoleum (龍光院黒田家霊屋) is a Momoyama-period mausoleum at Ryokoin, a sub-temple of Daitokuji in Murasakino, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, which in 2016 was designated an Important Cultural Property.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs records a single-storey hipped hall three bays square with a copper roof.
According to the Agency, it appears to have been completed in 1608, when Ryokoin was founded, and houses the five-ring stupas of Kuroda Yoshitaka (Josui) and his wife Shofukuin.
Structure
According to the Agency, it stands in the graveyard west of the earthen wall at the southwest of the precinct.
It is a small three-bay Zen-style hall, but its brackets, beam-end carvings and painted bearing blocks are finely made.
What to Look For
The Agency values it as one of the few Momoyama mausoleums, and as vivid evidence of the ties between daimyo families and the Zen sub-temples they supported.
It is also valuable for understanding the layout of early modern Zen sub-temples.
Visiting the Ryokoin Temple Kuroda Family Mausoleum
No official visitor information could be found.
The temple's history and its other buildings are on the Ryokoin group page.
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Q&A
- When was the mausoleum designated?
- On 9 February 2016.
- What does it house?
- The five-ring stupas of Kuroda Josui and his wife.
- When was it built?
- Apparently in 1608, when Ryokoin was founded.
- What form is it?
- A small three-bay Zen-style hall with a hipped copper roof.
- Why is it important?
- It is one of the few Momoyama mausoleums.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryokoin Temple Kuroda Family Mausoleum (龍光院黒田家霊屋) |
|---|---|
| Location | Murasakino Daitokuji-cho, Kita Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | Designated 2016/2/9 (Heisei 28) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Three by three bays, single storey, hipped, copper roof |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | No official visitor information found |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Ryokoin Kuroda Family Mausoleum (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/00004845
- Cultural Heritage Online: Ryokoin Kuroda Family Mausoleum (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/287943
Last verified: 2026.09.29
