Daitoku-ji Temple

The Daitoku-ji Temple - the Zen Temple of Great Virtue - is one of the principal temples of the Rinzai sect and was founded in 1324, with the present structures dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. Of the 22 buildings on-site, seven are open to the public, including the Kara-mon, a Chinese-style gate with magnificent carvings, and the two-story main gate, Sammon, built in 1589 and notable for its many fine ceiling paintings and statues. The Main Hall, the Butsuden (or Daiyu-den), was built in 1664 and contains a statue of Shakyamuni with his disciples Anna and Kayo and a figure of Daito-kokushi, first Abbot of the temple. Beyond the Main Hall is the Lecture Hall, or Hatto, based on Chinese models, and the Hojo, or Abbot's Lodging, with its paintings, wooden tablet, and adjoining garden. Other highlights include the old Abbot's Lodging (Shinju-an) with its statues and tombs dating from the 14th century, and a lovely Zen garden.

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