古都鎌倉の寺社巡り（その1－円覚寺と明月院） Visiting temples and shrines in the ancient capital of Kamakura (Part 1 Engakuji and Meigetsu-in)(October 2, 2022-No.40）
古都鎌倉の寺社巡り（その1－円覚寺と明月院） Visiting temples and shrines in the ancient capital of Kamakura (Part 1 Engakuji and Meigetsu-in)(October 2, 2022-No.40）
１．Engakuji
Engakuji is a temple located in Yamanouchi, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. This temple is located north of Kitakamakura Station on the JR Yokosuka Line and was built in 1282. The founder who provided the property was Hojo Tokimune (北条時宗1251-1284, in office 1268-1284), the 7th regent（執権）of the Kamakura Shogunate who was active during the Mongol invasion. The founder as a priest was Mugaku Sogen (無学祖元、Bukkōkokushi仏光国師) (1226-1286), a high priest who came to Japan from the Song Dynasty（宋王朝）. The main purpose of the construction of Engakuji Temple was to mourn for the many spirits who perished in the Mongol invasion.
The Mongol Invasion is also known as Genko（元寇）, and is the name given to the two invasions of Japan by the Mongol Empire (the Yuan Dynasty 元王朝) and its vassal Goryeo（高麗） in 1274 and 1281 during the mid-Kamakura period of Japan. The first invasion is called the Bunei no Eki (1274 文永の役), and the second is called the Koan no Eki (1281 弘安の役).
Somon (総門, general gate) is the gate at the entrance of a Buddhist temple in Japan. It precedes the bigger and more important sanmon（山門）.
Sanmon gateーSince many temples were built on mountains, the gate built in front of the temple was called Sanmon.（Sanmon 山門）
Butsuden（仏殿） the Butsuden, which displays a wooden statue of the Shaka Buddha. The Butsuden was rebuilt relatively recently in 1964 after the former building was lost in an earthquake.
Karamon（唐門） the Chinese-style gate
Shariden（舎利殿） is a beautifully designed hall in which a tooth of Buddha is enshrined. It is designated a national treasure, but can only be seen from a distance during most of the year.
Ogane（洪鐘） Another national treasure found at Engakuji is the temple's large bell (ogane).
２．Meigetsu-in
Meigetsu-in（明月院 Bright Moon Hermitage）is located about a 5-minute walk from Engakuji Temple. This temple is famous as a hydrangea temple, and you can enjoy various flowers throughout the four seasons. Autumn leaves are also wonderful.
After that, Hojo Tokimune（北条時宗）, the 7th regent of the Kamakura Shogunate, revived the temple as Zenkoji（禅光寺）. The founder of the temple was Rankei Doryu (1213-1278 蘭渓道隆). He was a Zen priest who came from the Southern Song dynasty in the mid-Kamakura period, and Mugaku Sogen（無学祖元）, the founder of Engakuji（円覚寺）, was his successor.
This temple was closed in 1868 (the first year of the Meiji era), leaving only Meigetsu-in to this day.
Gesyouken（月笑軒） This is a teahouse in the precincts of a temple.
main temple building（本堂）
Dry landscape garden（枯山水庭園）
Dry landscape garden
