Ryotanji Temple

Ryotanji Temple is one of the most famous temples in Enshu, and boasts a vast precincts of more than 10,000 tsubo.

It is a beautiful place with a mountain range looming in the north and an expansive rural landscape in the south. In the same area, there is the “Tomb of Prince Muneyoshi,” the fourth son of Emperor Godaigo, and “Iiya Palace,” which enshrines him, creating a deep atmosphere of history.

There are many structures from the early Edo period in the precincts of the temple, including the East Gate (former bell tower hall) built in 1631, the Daimon (mountain gate) rebuilt and repaired in 1656, and the Main Hall built in 1676.

Ryutan-ji Temple has many highlights, including the “dragon sculpture” in the temple hall, which is said to be the work of legendary early Edo period sculptor Jingoro Sa, the “Yushi-no-hari corridor” in the main hall, sliding door paintings by the versatile artist Xoroku Morikawa, and a tea house associated with the Iyi family.

Ryutan-ji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple, so there are no ornate decorations on the buildings, but their simple beauty stands out.

In the main hall, there is a seated statue of Sakyamuni Nyorai carved from marquetry and built in 1729, and a sliding door painting of dragons and tigers by Kyoku Ei. Also, the “Koujake Ochi-no-niwa” garden, said to represent Lake Hamana, stretches to the south of the main hall.

Particularly not to be missed is the garden, designated as a national cultural asset and a monument of scenic beauty. This garden was designed by Enshu Kobori, a rare artist who was active as a tea master, calligrapher, architect, and garden designer.

It is a typical temple garden with a guardian stone in the center, a Niou will on either side, a zazen stone in front, and a pond in the shape of the character for “heart”.

The stones and water are bright, serene, and clear, and the flowers, such as “satsuki” in spring and “dodan” in fall, change their appearance constantly according to the season. When viewed from the main hall, the dignified appearance of the garden, which evokes a sense of eternity, soothes the soul.

History

According to temple legend, Ryutan-ji Temple was founded in 733 by Gyoki Bodhisattva, a high priest of the Nara period (733-794), and its mountain name is Mancho-zan. The main deity is enshrined as Kokuzo Bosatsu.

At first it was called Jizo-ji Temple. However, when Ii Kyoho was buried there in 1093, the name was changed to Jijo-ji Temple after his Buddhist name.

It is considered to be the family temple of the Ii family, and has been for about 1,000 years since the Heian period (794-1185), and has been passed down through 40 generations as the family temple of the Ii family.

It is said to have been rebuilt by Prince Munera (a prince of Emperor Godaigo) in the Muromachi period (1336-1573).

Later, in 1507, Ii Naohira invited Mokuzuiyo Zuibuchi and changed the name of the temple to Ryutaiji. Then, in 1560 during the Warring States period, Ii Naomori was killed in battle and the temple was renamed Ryutan-ji Temple after his Buddhist name.

The temple is located in an area called Ii-Dani, a rich source of water where the Ii-Dani River and the Jinguji River meet, and the name “Ryu” refers to the dragon, the water god.

The tombs of Ii Naochika, who was the head of the Ii family after the death of Ii Naomori, and Ii Naotora, the daughter of Ii Naomori and the head of the Ii family, are also located in this temple, and the tombs of Ii Naochika and Ii Naotora are next to each other.

According to the biography of the Ii family, when Naomasa Ii went into battle as the first general at the Battle of Komaki-Nagakute, the “Nichigetsu Matsuyuki gold and silver fan” handed down from the temple was given to him as a fan for the battle.

After winning the Battle of Sekigahara, the Ii clan was transferred to Omi Province, but Ryutanji Temple continued to be protected by the Ii clan and was granted a red seal by the Edo shogunate.

Ii Naomasa, a vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Warring States period and one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Tokugawa vassals who supported the establishment of the Edo shogunate, and Ii Naotora, a female castle lord who was active in protecting the Ii family when Naomasa was a child, also lie here with their ancestors and descendants.

In the cemetery, memorial towers for Ii Naomasa from the first to the 24th generations are arranged in a U-shape, and in the center is a memorial tower for the first generation of the Ii family, Lord Kyoho, and the 22nd generation, Lord Naomori, whose name is derived from his commandment.

On the south side are five memorial towers inscribed with the names of Naochika and Naomasa. Naotora’s memorial tower is next to Naochika’s, although one of the stones is so corroded that its name is illegible.

Naotora (her childhood name is unknown) was ordained at Ryutanji Temple after being separated from her permitted wife Naochika, and was given the name “Jiro” Houshi, meaning the heir to the Iyi family, by the abbot Nankei, a monk who supported the Iyi family.

Naotora later practiced asceticism at the temple, and it is said that she stayed at the hermitage in the temple when she was forced to leave the castle after becoming the female lord of the castle.

Cultural Properties

According to temple legend, the garden was created by Enshu Kobori.

According to temple legend, the garden was created by Enshu Kobori. The garden attracts many visitors with its different appearances depending on the season and time of day. There are seats from which visitors can view the garden from the corridor of the main hall, allowing them to enjoy the garden in a relaxed atmosphere.

There are also three Sung-printed Nishikishu Mankatani books (Kanazawa Bunko books), designated as National Important Cultural Properties, and six Ryutanji temple buildings (the main hall, Kori, Sanmon, Kaisando, Ii family mausoleum, and Inari-do), designated as Important Cultural Properties by Shizuoka Prefecture.

Life of Ii Naotora (Lord of the Castle)

Ii Naotora was born in 1536 as the daughter of Ii Naomori, the 22nd head of the Ii family. Naomori had no sons, and Naotora was requested by the people around her to adopt her cousin, Ii Kamenojo, from her childhood. In other words, Naotora and Kamenojo had a good-natured relationship.

In 1544, when Kamenojo’s father Naomitsu was killed by Imagawa Yoshimoto, Kamenojo fled to Shinshu to hide himself. Naotora waited for a while for Kamenojo’s return, but eventually she thought he was dead and took ordination under the monk Nankei at Ryotanji Temple. He took the name of Jiro Houshi and prayed for Kamenojo’s repose.

However, in 1555, Kamenojo returned to Iyi Valley. Since Jirohoshi was already ordained and could not marry, Kame-nojo was adopted by Naomori and married another woman under the name of Naochika.

Later, in 1560, his father Naomori was killed in the Battle of Okehazama, and Naochika was also conspired to be killed under Kakegawa Castle. At this point, the only male heir to the Iyi name was Naochika’s son, Toramatsu (later Naomasa).

Because Toramatsu was still very young, Jirohoshi, through the arrangement of the monk Nankei of Ryutanji Temple, changed his name to Ii Naotora and became the guardian (foster mother) of Toramatsu and the female lord of the estate.

It was only after she became a female lord that she took the name Naotora. This shows the strategy and determination of Nankei Wanao and Naotora. They tried to survive in the Warring States period by taking a male name.

The mausoleum of Ryutanji Temple contains the tablets of the successive heads of the Iyi family, and Naotora is one of them.

However, she was not the official head of the Iyi family, but rather the guardian (adoptive mother) of Naomasa, the 24th head of the Iyi family.

In 1575, Naotora placed Naomasa in the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the lord of Hamamatsu Castle at that time. Naotora died in 1582, but Naomasa later played an active role in the battles of Komaki-Nagakute and Sekigahara, and became famous throughout the country as the first of the “Four Heavenly Kings of Tokugawa”.

The Ii family continued to lay the foundations of the Tokugawa Shogunate, producing a large number of Grand Councilors and playing an important role at the helm of Japan. In particular, Ii Naosuke, who led Japan toward modernization at the end of the Edo period, is widely known.