Chion-ji Temple (Miyazu City) (智恩寺 (宮津市))
Chion-ji Temple, located in Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture, is a temple of the Myoshin-ji School of the Rinzai Sect. Its sango (literally, "mountain name"), which is the title prefixed to the name of a Buddhist temple, is Tenkyosan (Mt. Tenkyo) or Godaisan (Mt. Godai). It is also called Kiredo Monju (Manjusri), Kuseto Monju or Chie Monju.
It is known as one of the three Monju Bosatsu of Japan along with Abe Monju-in Temple located in Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture, and Kameoka Monju located in Takahata-cho, Yamagata Prefecture. The statue of Monju Bosatsu (Budhisattva), its principal image, is a Buddhist statue rarely shown to the public. The statue is shown to the public 5 times a year, namely on the first three days of the new year, on January 10 and on July 24.
History
According to temple records, the temple was founded in 808 on the order of Emperor Heizei. The temple was given the imperial scroll by Emperor Daigo in the Engi era (beginning of the 10th century), but other than that, its history until the medieval period is not clear. Initially, it was founded as a temple of Esoteric Buddhism (Shingon Sect) and became a Zen Sect temple after the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan).
The temple has long been known as a sacred ground for Monju belief and it is taken up as the subject matter of the Noh song 'Kusedo.'
Although the existing two-storied pagoda was constructed in the Muromachi period, other buildings, such as the main hall, the front gate and hojo (a chamber for a chief priest of the temple) were constructed in the Edo period or later.
Cultural properties
Important cultural properties (designated by the nation)
Two-storied pagoda
It was constructed by Harunobu NOBUNAGA, the Deputy Governor of Tango Province, and was inaugurated in 1501.
The wooden statue of Monju Bosatsu accompanied by the statue of its followers, Zenzaidoji and Udenno
Kintsuzumi (literally, golden hand drum)
Tetsuyubune (literally, iron bathtub)
It was produced in 1290 by Sadakiyo YAMAKAWA, a caster in Kawachi Province. Currently, it is used as chozubachi (a bowl for washing hands).
Others
Main gate (Ogonkaku) (cultural property designated by Miyazu City)
Access
About 5 minutes walk from the Amano-hashidate Station of the Kitakinki Tango Railway Miyazu Line operated by Kitakinki Tango Railways.