Yoshimine-dera

The Yoshimine -dera (Japanese善 峰 寺) is a Buddhist temple in the district Nishikyo -ku the city of Kyoto, Japan. The temple name means in German summit of virtue Temple. The temple is associated with the faith Tendai shū. Main image of the temple is a statue of the thousand-armed Kannon. The Yoshimine -dera is the 20th temple of Saigoku - pilgrimage (西 国 三十 三 箇 所, Saigoku sanjūsankasho ).

Overview

The temple is said to have been founded in 1029 by the priest Gensan. In September 1034, the temple was recognized by the Emperor Go - Ichijō as a temple to protect the state and was named Yoshimine -dera. The current main picture of a thousand-armed Kannon is donated in 1042 by the Emperor Go - Suzaku and be the work of the Prince Ninko. Thanks to the support of the imperial family of the temple soon encompassed around 50 prayer halls and pagodas. The temple was during the Ōnin War destroyed much rebuilt in the Edo period, at the instigation of the mother of the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.

The entrance gate as the main hall date back to the 1692. Both guard figures at the entrance are from the 12th century and works of the artist Unkei. At the end of the 17th century the bell tower, the fire hall, the Founder's Hall and the library buildings were erected. The pagoda was reconstructed in 1621 and is registered as an important cultural asset.

North of the main hall of the jaw grows Yūryū no matsu (遊龍 の 松), the " Jaws of playing Dragon". She's barely two feet high, but extends thanks to centuries of horticultural design around 22 meters in a northerly and 24 meters in a westerly direction. It stands as a natural monument under protection since 1932.