Name: Kōdaiji Temple
Address: Japan, 〒605-0825 Kyoto, Higashiyama Ward, Shimokawarachō, 高台寺下河原町５２６
Telephone: 075-561-9966
Rating: 4.4

Serene setting with a Buddhist temple & gardens, plus tea houses & seasonal light festivals.

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Kōdaiji Temple was established in 1606 by Kita-no-Mandokoro, also known as Nene, the widow of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's most important historical figures.

Founder

The temple was built to commemorate and pray for the soul of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Nene's deceased husband.

Dedicated To

Kōdaiji is associated with tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyū, and features a unique mechanical doll that serves tea, reflecting the era's fascination with automata.

Tea Ceremony Master

Kōdaiji is a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, known for its emphasis on meditation and koans.

Rinzai School

The temple is famous for its exquisite lacquerware, known as Kōdaiji Maki-e, which features gold and silver designs on black lacquer.

Kōdaiji Maki-e

Kōdaiji boasts two stunning gardens: a Zen garden with meticulously raked gravel and a tsukiyama (hill garden) with a pond, stones, and carefully arranged plants.

Gardens

The temple is rumored to have a secret underground passage connecting it to Osaka Castle, although its existence has never been definitively proven.

Underground Passage

Kōdaiji Temple, nestled in Kyoto's Higashiyama district, stands apart for its profound connection to Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his wife, Nene, who established it in his memory. The temple's Otama-ya mausoleum enshrines Nene, and its exquisite lacquerware, known as Kōdaiji Maki-e, showcases intricate gold and silver designs, a testament to the era's artistic refinement. Unusually, Kōdaiji incorporates elements of Zen Buddhism alongside Pure Land Buddhism, reflecting Nene's personal spiritual journey. The temple's gardens, designed by Kobori Enshu, feature meticulously raked gravel, sculpted hills, and a serene pond, creating a landscape of profound tranquility. A bamboo grove, illuminated at night, offers a captivating visual experience. The presence of tea houses, including the Kasentei and Shiguretei, underscores the importance of the tea ceremony in Kōdaiji's history, a practice deeply intertwined with Zen philosophy and aesthetic appreciation. The temple's unique blend of historical significance, artistic excellence, and spiritual depth makes it a compelling destination.

Introduction

Kōdai-ji is renowned for its exquisite lacquerware, a legacy so profound that the temple is often nicknamed the "maki-e temple." This unique style of lacquer decoration, known as "Kōdaiji lacquerware," flourished during the Momoyama period and is exemplified in the mausoleum's interior. The Otamaya, or mausoleum, showcases Momoyama-style lacquerware, a key feature of the temple's artistic heritage.

The temple's collection includes a natsume tea utensil adorned with a maki-e pattern called Kōdai-ji bun natsume, featuring the imperial chrysanthemum seal and the paulownia seal of the regent. The temple museum displays 16th and 17th-century artifacts, highlighting the maki-e lacquerware that was trending during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573–1603).

The bold combination of naturalistic landscape designs and scattered paulownia crests on contrasting diagonal fields divided by a zigzag border is characteristic of Kōdaiji lacquerware, current from the 1580s through the early seventeenth century. The style is associated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi and named for the Kōdaiji temple, where his memorial shrine was built in 1616. The shrine's lacquered interior, along with some thirty lacquer objects of personal use that are preserved there, are similarly decorated with naturalistic designs, mainly of autumn grasses, which are often combined with scattered paulownia crests, the personal emblem of the Toyotomi family. Throughout the year at the mausoleum where Hideyoshi and his wife are laid to rest, you can view masterful examples of maki-e, a technique for decorating lacquerware with carefully sprinkled gold powder.

Kodaiji Lacquerware (Makie)

Kōdaiji Temple in Kyoto stands as a profound testament to Nene, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's great unifiers. Founded in 1606 by Nene, the temple memorializes her late husband and reflects her significant influence. After Hideyoshi's death, Nene became a nun, assuming the name Kōdai-in Kogetsuni, and was revered as a maternal figure by many of the Toyotomi clan's retainers. She established Kōdai-ji with support from Tokugawa Ieyasu, later moving there and designating it as the burial site for Hideyoshi, his mother, and eventually, Toyotomi Hideyori.

Nene's vision for Kōdaiji incorporated lavish designs and gardens, reflecting the era's opulence and her refined taste. The temple's main hall, though rebuilt after a fire, is surrounded by gardens designed by contemporary masters, including a rock garden symbolizing the ocean and a tsukiyama-style garden with a pond and hills. The Kaizando hall enshrines wooden images of Nene and Hideyoshi, serving as a place for her to pray for her husband.

Nene's mausoleum, the Otamaya, showcases exquisite maki-e lacquerwork, a technique of sprinkling gold powder on lacquerware. Additionally, two teahouses on the grounds, one designed by Sen no Rikyu, highlight Hideyoshi's passion for tea ceremonies. Nene's Path, a series of steps leading from the temple, further connects her legacy to the Higashiyama District. Kōdaiji Sho Museum exhibits treasures of Kōdaiji, Nene, and lacquer artwork, underscoring her lasting impact on Japanese history and culture.

Nene's Legacy

Kōdaiji Temple, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple, showcases distinct Zen garden elements, reflecting principles of minimalism and contemplation. The gardens, partially designed by Kobori Enshu, a renowned garden designer, integrate diverse styles. A notable feature is the rock garden, characterized by a vast expanse of meticulously raked gravel, symbolizing the ocean. This minimalist design encourages introspection, a key aspect of Zen practice.

In contrast, the tsukiyama-style garden presents a landscape with a pond, artificial hills, and carefully arranged rocks, embodying harmony with nature. The strategic placement of pine and maple trees enhances the garden's aesthetic, especially during autumn when the foliage transforms into vibrant colors.

A solitary weeping cherry tree in the Hashin’tei rock garden provides a focal point, its delicate blossoms contrasting with the stark gravel. This unconventional inclusion of flowering trees in a Zen garden adds a layer of visual interest. The temple's gardens also feature a bamboo grove, offering a tranquil path that complements the overall meditative atmosphere. These gardens, recognized as both a historical site and a place of scenic beauty, exemplify the integration of Zen philosophy with landscape design.

Zen Garden Design

Kōdaiji Temple, established in 1606 by Kita-no-Mandokoro (Nene), stands as a memorial to her late husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of Japan's most significant historical figures. Nene, later a priestess known as Kodaiin Kogetsuni, is also enshrined at the temple, solidifying its role as a joint memorial. The temple's construction was financially supported by Tokugawa Ieyasu, Hideyoshi's successor, reflecting Hideyoshi's lasting impact on the era.

The mausoleum behind the temple is dedicated to Hideyoshi and Nene, featuring interiors lavishly decorated with Kodaiji Makie, a special lacquerwork technique involving powdered gold and silver set in lacquer, for which Kōdaiji is renowned. Nene's dedication to Hideyoshi is further highlighted in the Kaizando (memorial hall), where she would pray for him and which now enshrines wooden images of both.

Within the Otama-ya (Sanctuary), both Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Kita-no-Mandokoro are enshrined, their graves lying beneath the statue of Kita-no-Mandokoro. The Shumidan (dais for a Buddhist image) and Zushi (small shrine) are adorned with splendid makie, characteristic of the Momoyama period, further emphasizing Hideyoshi's era. Additionally, Hideyoshi's Jinbaori, a coat worn over armour made from a Persian rug, is preserved as an important cultural property, symbolizing his power and influence. Kōdaiji Sho Museum exhibits treasures of Kodaiji, Nene and several pieces of lacquer artwork.

Kōdaiji Temple

Did You Know?

Founder

Dedicated To

Tea Ceremony Master

Rinzai School

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