Kaizuka Gobo Gansenji Temple

Gansen-ji Temple was once the head temple of the Honganji School of Buddhism, and its main hall, bell tower, drum hall, and front gate are designated as national important cultural properties. The name of the temple is Kinryozan, and it is nicknamed “Bokkan-san.

The origin of the temple is said to be a hermitage founded by Gyoki in 774, and the standing statue of Amida Nyorai, the principal image of the temple, is said to have been made by Gyoki. For a long time, however, the temple was left without an abbot.

During the Onin period (1467-1469), Rennyo, a priest of Honganji temple, stopped by to teach the doctrine, and in 1545, local priests invited Ukyo-bo (Kuhansai Ryochin) from Negoroji temple to become the head priest and rebuild the hermitage temple.

However, it was burned down by Oda Nobutada during his attack on Zoka (conquest of Kishu) in 1577.

In 1582, Hideyoshi Hashiba granted Ryochin a license to perform various duties at the temple.

In 1583, Kennyo established Kaizuka Honganji as the new head temple, and for about two years it became a major center of the Honganji Order, also called Kaizuka Gobo, until 1585, when the head temple was moved to Tenma Honganji.

Kaizuka Gobo was given the temple name “Gansenji” by Nishi Honganji’s Junyo in 1607.

In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu granted a license to perform various temple duties, and the Bokuhan family continued to rule the temple town until the Meiji Restoration.

Around the temple, earthen storehouses and lattice doors remain, reminding us of the prosperity of the past.

Most of the buildings in Gansenji are designated as national important cultural properties and city-designated cultural properties.

The main hall in the precincts (Important Cultural Property) was rebuilt in 1663. The shoin (drawing room) was built in the mid-Edo period. The Sutra Repository was rebuilt in 1688.

The bell tower (Important Cultural Property) is the bell tower of Seishoji Temple in Mori, Kaizuka, built in 1702. It was moved in 1948 after the previous bell tower was destroyed by fire in an air raid. The bronze bell hanging in the bell tower was made in 1224.

The drum hall (Important Cultural Property) was built in 1719. The well house was built in 1818. Mekagakure Fence (Important Cultural Asset). Omote-mon Gate (Important Cultural Asset) was rebuilt in 1679.