Kimpusen-ji

The Kimpusen -ji (Japanese金峰 山寺) is one of the most important temples of the syncretic religion of Shugendō. It is situated in the since time immemorial, famous for its cherry blossom mountain region Yoshino ( Yoshinoyama ,吉野 山) in the village of Yoshino ( Nara Prefecture). The name " Gold Summit Mountain" ( Kimpusen ) refers to the entire region including the Omine, considered the spiritual mountain and is now registered under the Yoshino Kumano National Park as a cultural World Heritage Site.

The legendary according to tradition, the temple in the 7th century by the mountain ascetic En no Gyoja was (also En no Ozunu ) was founded. Historically tangible traces rich in the Heian period. The " correct tradition monk Shoho " ( Shoho - sō silks,圣 宝 僧 正 ​​伝) According to the Shingon temple complex teaching monk Shobo (圣 宝, 832-909 ) in 892 restores presented on Zaō statues, put pilgrimage routes through and founded several smaller temples in the vicinity. Length of the temple, therefore, under the influence of the esoteric Shingon Buddhism was ( Shingon Shuu ). In the Edo period on the orders of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, the temple of the Tendai school ( Tendai Shuu ) 1614 assumed. With the beginning of the Meiji period the new government banned under the forced separation of Shinto and Buddhism ( Shinbutsu - Bunri ) the syncretic practices of Shugendō, and the temple was closed. Only in 1886 were allowed to re- commissioning as a branch of the Tendai school ( Tendai Shuu ). After the Second World War, the temple itself became independent as the head temple of a Shugendo branch.

The further installation includes a gateway to the ridge ( Kuromon ,黒 门), a gatehouse to the core part ( Niomon ,仁王 门), an Aizen - Hall ( Aizen - dō ,爱 染 堂), a Kannon Hall ( Kannon - dō ,観 音 堂), a Itoku Shrine ( Itoku tenmangu ,威 徳 天 満 宫), one lying in a neighboring glen Dragon God Temple (notes Ōkami Ryūō in ,脳 天大 神龙 王 院), as well as the main building Zaō Hall ( Zaō - dō ,蔵 王 堂). This has the call to the main hall of Todai Temple ( Todai -ji) in Nara to be the second largest wooden building in Japan, and has a height of 34 meters. The hall in its present form dates from the year 1592nd It is home to the main deity avatar Zaō ( Zaō - gongen ,蔵 王 権 现) in three manifestations ( Miroku Bosatsu, Shaka Nyorai, Kannon Bosatsu Senshu ). The seven meter high statues were formerly rarely shown today opens to the shrines on certain dates and for the general public. 1963 erected a " Nancho Myōhōden " called temple building with a statue of Shaka nyorai to commemorate the four Tenno of the " Southern Court ," during the " era of the North and Südhöfe " ( Nambokucho - jidai, 1336-1392 ) resided in Yoshino and here blessed the temporal.

Important Festivals

• On July 7, the ceremony of the frog hopping takes place. The performance is based on the legend that a monk had been transformed into a frog because of his pride and could be redeemed only by the forces of the monks of Mount Yoshino.

Gate with the two Kongōrikishi or NiO

NiO ( Ungyo )

Aizen - dō

Kannon - dō

Itoku Tenmangu

Bell tower next to the Zaō Hall

Inari Shrine ( Hisatomi DAIMYOJIN )

Nancho Myōhōden

Statue of En no Gyoja (En no Ozunu )

Look at the Zaō Hall