Kokutai-ji

The Kokutai -ji (Japanese国泰 寺( Shinjitai ) or国泰 寺( Kyūjitai ) ) is a Buddhist temple in the Japanese city of Takaoka ( Toyama Prefecture), and one of the main temple of the Rinzai shū. It includes currently the largest Zen monastery in the Hokuriku Region.

The temple was built in 1300 under the name Tōshō -ji (东 松 寺) by the monk Jiun Myōi (慈云 妙 意; 1274-1345 ) at the place of his earlier study hut on the mountain Futakami (二 上山), southeast of the present site, founded.

In 1327 Jiun Myōi Go- Daigo- tennō was honored in this a purple robe and the honorific name Seisen Zenji (清泉 禅师) and the temple gave him the imperial name Kokutai -ji.

Later the temple under the Ashikaga shogunate was appointed at the request of Komyo - tennō one of the Ankoku -ji.

In the Sengoku period of Kokutai -ji fell, in particular by the troops of Uesugi Kenshin (1530-1578) destruction caused. At the request of the Go - Nara tennō was dedicated to the 28th superintendent of the temple, Settei Shukuyō (雪 庭 祝 阳), the reconstruction. A few years later, the temple was (probably around 1580 ) moved to its present site.

In the Edo period, the Kokutai -ji by the Tokugawa shogunate to the main temple of the Rinzai Shuu- lineage Hotto -ha (法 灯 派) was appointed by Shinji Kakushi (心地 觉 心; 1207-1298 ) had been established. Since the Fuke Shuu called later on Shinji as their founder, remained compounds of this school to the temple not made ​​. So the Kokutai -ji was also the birthplace of the Myōon Kyōkai (妙音 教会), one of Komuso successor organizations Fuke Shuu after its ban by the government. Even today, Komuso gather on 2 and 3 June each year at the temple and read sutras there and play on the shakuhachi, to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Jiun Myōi.