Kanshinji Temple

Kanshinji Temple

Kanshinji Temple (観心寺) in Teramoto, Kawachinagano City, Osaka Prefecture, has a Golden Hall of the early Muromachi period designated a National Treasure on March 29, 1952, and four buildings designated as Important Cultural Properties: the Tatekake Pagoda of 1502, the Kariteimoten Hall of 1549, the shoin of 1647 and the Onshi Lecture Hall of 1930 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The temple says it was opened in 701 by En no Ozunu as Unshinji, and renamed Kanshinji in 815 when Kukai carved its principal image of Nyoirin Kannon. In the fourteenth century it became closely tied to Kusunoki Masashige, whose head is buried here. The precinct, a historic site, keeps the feel of a mountain temple.

The Five Buildings

The Golden Hall, seven bays square under a hip-and-gable roof, was rebuilt before 1378. Mixing the Zen and Great Buddha styles into a Japanese-style frame, it is a leading eclectic-style hall, with the strictly divided sanctuary typical of Esoteric Buddhism (Agency for Cultural Affairs).

The Tatekake Pagoda is an unfinished pagoda with only its first storey, under a thatched pyramid roof. The Kariteimoten Hall is the kasuga-style guardian shrine, and the shoin belongs to the main residence (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Kanshinji). The Onshi Lecture Hall was built from materials of the banquet hall raised in the Kyoto Imperial Garden for Emperor Showa's enthronement. Together they span some 550 years in one precinct. Each building is described on its own page.

Visiting

According to the temple, it is open from 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30); admission is 300 yen for adults, with group discounts for 30 or more. On April 17 and 18, when the principal image is shown (10:00-16:00), a special fee of 1,000 yen applies. From Kawachinagano Station (Nankai Koya Line and Kintetsu Nagano Line), take a Nankai bus bound for Kongosan or Kobukidai to the Kanshinji stop. Parking is normally free, and entry is by the main gate only.