Daikaku-Ji temple is a Buddhism temple (Shin-gon sect.:真言宗）in Saga area, Kyoto, having five wisdom kings of Buddhism (Acala, Kundali, Trilokavijaya, Vajrayaksa, Yamantaka) for religious worship at its main alter.
Formerly, it was built as an imperial villa by the 52nd emperor Saga（嵯峨天皇 AD 786-842）about 1,200 years ago, and it was renovated as Daikaku-ji temple after the emperor died. In addition, some emperors, retired emperors and/or imperial princes became the temple's chief monk （Monzeki; 門跡) in its history. Therefore, unlike other Buddhism temples, the architectures were designed like the imperial court.
To the contrary to the elegant court culture, this temple has witnessed many political battles over the imperial throne.
Prince Tsunesada (恒貞親王 AD 825-884）-the first chief monk of Daikaku-ji temple
Prince Tsunesada was the second son of the 53rd emperor Jun-na（淳和天皇）who succeeded to his elder brother's throne-the emperor Saga. Since Jun-na's first son had passed away, Tsunesada was expected to be the crown prince. However, Jun-na, who was forced to take over the chrysanthemum throne due to Saga's political motivation, wanted to keep his son away from battles over the throne, so Jun-na chose his nephew, Saga's son, as the crown prince instead.
Unfortunately, Tsunesada was dispelled as a result of disputes inside the court after Saga died. Then, he became a Buddhist monk. Meanwhile, Tsunesada's mother (Empress Masako, Jun-na's wife) renovated the imperial villa which Saga left and it reborn as a Buddhist temple. The monk-prince took a responsibility as the temple's first chief priest and organized its religious service. This is the very moment that Daikaku-ji temple emerged in history.
500 years later.....
Situation inside the court was all the same as Tsunesada's age even 500 years later; this time, the 89th emperor Gofukakusa (後深草天皇：elder brother) and the 90th emperor Kameyama (亀山天皇：younger brother) had been fighting over the successor of the imperial throne. After a long battle, Kameyama's son became the 91st emperor Gouda（後宇多天皇）. Then, Gouda decided to retire by enthroning the 92nd emperor Fushimi （伏見天皇）who was in linage of Gofukakusa and became a Buddhist monk upon the retirement. He moved to Daikaku-ji temple, so the temple gained a status as "the imperial palace".
The imperial battle had been balanced by having emperors reciprocally from both Gohukakusa-related group and Kameyama-related group, but eventually they split the court into two sections when the 96th emperor Godaigo （後醍醐天皇）was expelled from Kyoto in 1336 AD by Ashikaga Takauji-the first Shogun of Muromachi Shogunate. Takauji summoned a new emperor to replace vacancy of the chrysanthemum throne after Godaigo's exile and established "North court" in Kyoto (Gohukakusa group) . On the other hand, the expelled Godaigo established "South court" in Yoshino (Kameyama Group). Both courts mutually argued its appropriateness for the imperial throne and they have their own emperors simultaneously; Japan had two emperors one time for about 100 years.
The imperial re-unification
The two groups were finally reunited when the South court was annexed to North court after several talks were held between the two. It was at Daikaku-ji temple that the re-unification was formally enacted when the last emperor of South, Go-kameyama, renounced his imperial status and handed over sacred items representing the imperial throne to Go-Komatsu, the 100th emperor who belonged to North.
Daikaku-ji temple started its own history as a result of the imperial battle, and witnessed the North-South conflict inside the court; the facade looks elegant, but its inside is quite political.
(You can refer to this article's Japanese version here)
Formerly, it was built as an imperial villa by the 52nd emperor Saga（嵯峨天皇 AD 786-842）about 1,200 years ago, and it was renovated as Daikaku-ji temple after the emperor died. In addition, some emperors, retired emperors and/or imperial princes became the temple's chief monk （Monzeki; 門跡) in its history. Therefore, unlike other Buddhism temples, the architectures were designed like the imperial court.
To the contrary to the elegant court culture, this temple has witnessed many political battles over the imperial throne.
Prince Tsunesada (恒貞親王 AD 825-884）-the first chief monk of Daikaku-ji temple
Prince Tsunesada was the second son of the 53rd emperor Jun-na（淳和天皇）who succeeded to his elder brother's throne-the emperor Saga. Since Jun-na's first son had passed away, Tsunesada was expected to be the crown prince. However, Jun-na, who was forced to take over the chrysanthemum throne due to Saga's political motivation, wanted to keep his son away from battles over the throne, so Jun-na chose his nephew, Saga's son, as the crown prince instead.
Unfortunately, Tsunesada was dispelled as a result of disputes inside the court after Saga died. Then, he became a Buddhist monk. Meanwhile, Tsunesada's mother (Empress Masako, Jun-na's wife) renovated the imperial villa which Saga left and it reborn as a Buddhist temple. The monk-prince took a responsibility as the temple's first chief priest and organized its religious service. This is the very moment that Daikaku-ji temple emerged in history.
500 years later.....
Situation inside the court was all the same as Tsunesada's age even 500 years later; this time, the 89th emperor Gofukakusa (後深草天皇：elder brother) and the 90th emperor Kameyama (亀山天皇：younger brother) had been fighting over the successor of the imperial throne. After a long battle, Kameyama's son became the 91st emperor Gouda（後宇多天皇）. Then, Gouda decided to retire by enthroning the 92nd emperor Fushimi （伏見天皇）who was in linage of Gofukakusa and became a Buddhist monk upon the retirement. He moved to Daikaku-ji temple, so the temple gained a status as "the imperial palace".
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| Emperor's room |
The imperial re-unification
The two groups were finally reunited when the South court was annexed to North court after several talks were held between the two. It was at Daikaku-ji temple that the re-unification was formally enacted when the last emperor of South, Go-kameyama, renounced his imperial status and handed over sacred items representing the imperial throne to Go-Komatsu, the 100th emperor who belonged to North.
Daikaku-ji temple started its own history as a result of the imperial battle, and witnessed the North-South conflict inside the court; the facade looks elegant, but its inside is quite political.
(You can refer to this article's Japanese version here)
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