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60-696: Founded in 1282 ( Kamakura period , the temple maintains the classical Japanese Zen monastic design, and both the Shariden and the Great Bell ( 大鐘 , Ogane ) are designated National Treasures . Engaku-ji is one of the twenty-two historic sites included in Kamakura's proposal for inclusion in UNESCO 's World Heritage Sites . It is located in Kita-Kamakura , very close to Kita-Kamakura Station on

120-693: A bakufu ( 幕府 , tent government) , but because he was given the ancient high military title Sei-i Taishōgun by Emperor Go-Toba , the government is often referred to in Western literature as the Shogunate. Yoritomo followed the Fujiwara form of house government and had an administrative board ( 政所 , Mandokoro ) , a board of retainers ( 侍所 , Samurai-dokoro ) , and a board of inquiry ( 問注所 , Monchūjo ) . After confiscating estates in central and western Japan, he appointed stewards for

180-453: A Lion Dancer awaiting cue from the Noh play “ Shakkyō ” (石橋 "stone bridge"). The play is a fifth-category ( kiri-nō ) play featuring a lion dance ( shishimai ). Two pieces also by him depicting Japanese camellia were added in the 1970s on either side of the lion dancer painting, called “ Shiro-botan ” in white and “ Beni-botan ” in red. In 1972, despite his advanced years, he was selected as

240-561: A climate that encouraged religious innovation. Nichiren and Ippen attempted at this time to create down-to-earth teachings that were rooted in the daily concerns of people. Nichiren rejected the focus on "next-worldly" salvation such a rebirth in a Pure Land and instead aimed for "this-worldly" personal and national liberation through a simple and accessible practice. Ippen emphasized a popularized form of nenbutsu recitation with an emphasis on practice rather than concentrating on an individual's underlying mental state. As time evolved

300-488: A grand ceremony is held between both temples. The Shariden ( 舎利殿 ) (reliquary hall), is a 3×3 hall, single-storied, irimoya style, with a pent roof enclosure, covered with hinoki cypress bark shingles. It is the only building with the designation of National Treasure in the Kanagawa prefecture. The original structure, built in 1285 by Hōjō Sadatoki (1271-1311), was destroyed by a fire in 1563. The current building

360-413: A land-based economy and the concentration of advanced military technologies in the hands of a specialized fighting class. Lords required the loyal services of vassals, who were rewarded with fiefs of their own; the fief holders then exercised local military rule. Once Minamoto no Yoritomo had consolidated his power, he established a new government at his family home in Kamakura . He called his government

420-480: A lasting basis. Intrafamily contention had long existed within the Minamoto, although Yoritomo had eliminated most serious challengers to his authority. When he died suddenly in 1199, his son Minamoto no Yoriie became shōgun and nominal head of the Minamoto, but Yoriie was unable to control the other eastern warrior families. By the early 13th century, a regency had been established by Hōjō Tokimasa —a member of

480-543: A long-standing commitment to Zen and the temple was intended to honour those of both sides who died in the war, as well as serving as a centre from which the influence of Zen could be spread. According to the records of the time, when building work started a copy of the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment (in Japanese, engaku-kyō 円覚経) was dug out of the hillside in a stone chest during the initial building works, giving its name to

540-540: A member of the Southern Court ascended to the throne as Emperor Go-Daigo . Go-Daigo wanted to overthrow the shogunate, and he openly defied Kamakura by naming his own son his heir. In 1331 the shogunate exiled Go-Daigo, but loyalist forces, including Kusunoki Masashige , rebelled. They were aided by Ashikaga Takauji , a constable who turned against the Kamakura when dispatched to put down Go-Daigo's rebellion. At

600-516: A wooded hillside, with the major buildings in a straight line in the perpendicular zen style; the austere buildings and the trees blending in a satisfying overall composition. There are altogether 18 temples on the site. The two-storied main gate, or Sanmon ( 山門 ) , was rebuilt in 1785, as part of the reconstruction works led by Seisetsu. A wooden plaque of calligraphic work by the Emperor Fushimi (1265-1317) reads "Engaku Kōshō Zenji". On

660-551: The shōgun became a powerless figurehead. With the protection of the Emperor, a figurehead himself, strains emerged between Kyoto and Kamakura, and in 1221 the Jōkyū War broke out between the cloistered Emperor Go-Toba and the second regent Hōjō Yoshitoki . The Hōjō forces easily won the war, and the imperial court was brought under the direct control of the shogunate. The shōgun 's constables gained greater civil powers, and

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720-825: The Heike clan at the Battle of Ishibashiyama . The work was completed in 1929, and won the prestigious Asahi Prize in 1930. It is now on display at the Okura Shukokan museum owned by the Okura Hotels in Tokyo. It was also the subject of a postage stamp issued by the Japanese government in 1982, as part of a series honoring Japanese modern art . Maeda became a member of the Imperial Art Academy in 1937. He toured Manchukuo and northern China in 1943 under

780-849: The Hōjō clan , a branch of the Taira that had allied itself with the Minamoto in 1180. The head of Hōjō was installed as a regent for the shōgun ; the regent was termed the Shikken during the period, although later positions were created with similar power such as the Tokusō and the Rensho . Often the Shikken was also the Tokusō and Rensho . Under the Hōjō,

840-750: The Latter Day of the Law . The new social order of a declining aristocracy and ascending military and peasant classes resulted in new forms of religion, both indigenous and Buddhist while Indian and Chinese influence continued. Furthermore, the Shōen manor system which had taken root in this era resulted in the increased prosperity and literacy of peasants which in turn provided more financial support for Buddhist teachers and their studies. The first originators of Kamakura Buddhism schools were Hōnen and Shinran who emphasized belief and practice over formalism. In

900-688: The Mongol -led Yuan dynasty were momentous events in Japanese history. Nichiren had predicted these invasions years earlier, in his Rissho Ankoku Ron , a letter to the regency. Japanese relations with China had been terminated in the mid-ninth century after the deterioration of the Tang dynasty and the turning inward of the Heian court. Some commercial contacts were maintained with the Southern Song dynasty in later centuries, but Japanese pirates made

960-508: The Nara temple schools such as Kegon , Hossō , Sanron , and Ritsu continued to thrive and adapt to the trend of the times. At the start of the Kamakura period, the Mount Hiei monasteries had become politically powerful, appealing primarily to those capable of systematic study of the sect's teachings. The Shingon sect and its esoteric ritual continued to enjoy support largely from

1020-479: The Yokosuka Line , and indeed the railway tracks cut across the formal entrance to the temple compound, which is by a path beside a pond which is crossed by a small bridge. The temple was founded in 1282 by a Chinese Zen monk Mugaku Sōgen (1226-1286) at the request of the then ruler of Japan, the regent Hōjō Tokimune after he had repelled a Mongolian invasion in the period 1274 to 1281 . Tokimune had

1080-681: The Butsuden, and are open to the public. Cast by Mononobe Kunimitsu in August 1301, the Great Bell ( 大鐘 , Ogane ) of Engaku-ji is at 2.6 metres tall the largest of all the many temple bells of Kamakura (in fact the largest in Kantō . It was made by order of Hojo Sadatoki (1271-1311), after he confined himself in the Benzaiten shrine in Enoshima . This bell and the one at Kenchō-ji are

1140-502: The Kamakura period, as there are various theories about the year the Kamakura shogunate was established. During the early Kamakura period, the shogunate continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara which was only defeated in 1189. Then, the authority to the Kamakura rulers waned in the 1190s and power was transferred to the powerful Hōjō clan in the early 13th century with the head of the clan as regent ( Shikken ) under

1200-541: The Kamakura regime. The Hōjō regent presided over the council, which was a successful form of collective leadership. The adoption of Japan's first military code of law—the Goseibai Shikimoku —in 1232 reflected the profound transition from court to militarized society. While legal practices in Kyoto were still based on 500-year-old Confucian principles, the new code was a highly legalistic document that stressed

1260-522: The Northern Court contender was installed by Ashikaga, who established a new line of shoguns. Seison Maeda Seison Maeda ( 前田 青邨 , Maeda Seison , January 27, 1885 – October 29, 1977) was the art-name of a nihonga painter in the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. His legal name was Maeda Renzō. He is considered one of the greatest contemporary Japanese painters, and one of

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1320-638: The Yuan demands, dismissed the Goryeo messengers, and started defensive preparations. After further unsuccessful entreaties, the first Mongol invasion took place in 1274. More than 600 ships carried a combined ethnic Mongol, Han , and Korean force of 23,000 troops armed with catapults , combustible missiles, and bows and arrows. In fighting, these soldiers grouped in close cavalry formations against samurai, who were accustomed to one-on-one combat. Local Japanese forces at Hakata , on northern Kyūshū , defended against

1380-541: The advantageous mainland force, which, after one day of fighting was destroyed by the onslaught of a sudden typhoon . Kublai realized that nature, not military incompetence, had been the cause of his forces' failure so, in 1281, he launched a second invasion. Seven weeks of fighting took place in northwestern Kyūshū before another typhoon struck, again destroying the Yuan fleet, which was mostly composed of hastily acquired, flat-bottomed Chinese ships especially vulnerable to powerful typhoons. Although Shinto priests attributed

1440-424: The chief centre for Zen instruction in the Kantō region; Imakita Kōsen and Soyen Shaku were successively abbots in this period, and Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki was a student under them. Zazen courses are still held in the temple, with open meditations sessions every morning (except for New Year's and early October) and every Saturday afternoon (except for August). There's also a sermon the 2nd and 4th Sunday of

1500-530: The conclusion of the Genpei War , which saw the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The period is known for the emergence of the samurai , the warrior caste, and for the establishment of feudalism in Japan. There are various theories as to the year in which the Kamakura period and Kamakura shogunate began. In the past, the most popular theory was that the year was 1192, when Minamoto no Yoritomo

1560-477: The court nobles over the warriors' caste. The reality, however, was that the forces who had arisen against Kamakura had been set on defeating the Hōjō, not on supporting the emperor. Ashikaga Takauji finally sided with the Northern Court in a civil war against the Southern Court represented by Go-Daigo. The long War Between the Courts lasted from 1336 to 1392. Early in the conflict, Go-Daigo was driven from Kyoto, and

1620-467: The court was obliged to seek Kamakura's approval for all of its actions. Although deprived of political power, the court retained extensive estates. Several significant administrative achievements were made during the Hōjō regency. In 1225 the third regent Hōjō Yasutoki established the Council of State, providing opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority within

1680-457: The distinctions between "Old" and "New" Buddhisms blurred as they formed "cultic centers" and various forms of founder worship. The medieval structures of these schools evolved into hierarchical head temple-branch temple structures with associated rituals and forms of worship. This culminated in the state-sanctioned formalized schools of the Tokugawa period. The repulsions of two invasions by

1740-410: The duties of stewards and constables, provided means for settling land disputes, and established rules governing inheritances . It was clear and concise, stipulated punishments for violators of its conditions, and parts of it remained in effect for the next 635 years. As might be expected, the literature of the time reflected the unsettled nature of the period. The Hōjōki describes the turmoil of

1800-426: The estates and constables for the provinces. As shōgun , Yoritomo was both the steward and the constable general. The Kamakura shogunate was not a national regime, however, and although it controlled large tracts of land, there was strong resistance to the stewards. The regime continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara , but never brought either the north or the west under complete military control. However,

1860-493: The fourth leader of the Northern Fujiwara Fujiwara no Yasuhira was defeated by Yoritomo in 1189, and the 100-year-long prosperity of the north disappeared. The old court resided in Kyoto , continuing to hold the land over which it had jurisdiction, while newly organized military families were attracted to Kamakura. Despite a strong beginning, Yoritomo failed to consolidate the leadership of his family on

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1920-434: The front entrance there is a plaque of calligraphy from Emperor Go-Kogon (1338–74) which reads Daikomyohoden . Sembutsudo ( 選仏堂 ) is a thatch-roofed hall for Zen meditation and a sutra repository, built in 1699. The Kojirin ( 居士林 ) is a Zen meditation hall for lay trainees ( Koji ). Meditation sessions are held here most Sundays, both for first-time participants and for the general public. Both building stand left of

1980-489: The future. The invasions also caused disaffection among those who expected recompense for their help in defeating the Yuan dynasty. There were no lands or other rewards to be given, however, and such disaffection, combined with overextension and the increasing defense costs, led to a decline of the Kamakura bakufu . Additionally, inheritances had divided family properties, and landowners increasingly had to turn to moneylenders for support. Roving bands of rōnin further threatened

2040-502: The latter part of the 12th-century Dōgen and Eisai traveled to China and upon their return to Japan founded, respectively, the Sōtō and Rinzai schools of Zen. Dōgen rejected affiliations with the secular authorities whereas Eisai actively sought them. Whereas Eisai thought that Zen teachings would revitalize the Tendai school, Dōgen aimed for an ineffable absolute, a pure Zen teaching that

2100-585: The leaders of the Nihonga movement. Maeda was born in what is now Nakatsugawa city, Gifu Prefecture in 1885. His mother died when he was 13, and he moved to Hongō in Tokyo with his father. In 1901, through the introduction of Ozaki Kōyō , Maeda enrolled at the art school headed by Kajita Hanko , from whom he received the name "Seison" in 1902. He met and befriended fellow student, Kobayashi Kokei , whose work influenced many of Maeda's early paintings. Maeda

2160-417: The month at 9:00 am, followed by a session of zazen. These activities are held at the main hall (Butsuden), Kojirin and Hojo buildings respectively. A four-day "Summer Lecture Series" is organized yearly in late July. Fire has damaged many of the buildings at different times, and the dates given below refer to the building of the structures currently seen. From the entrance, the buildings of the temple rise up

2220-415: The noble families in Kyoto . However, with the increasing popularity of the new Kamakura schools, the older schools partially eclipsed as the newer "Kamakura" schools found followers among the new Kamakura government, and its samurai . . The times that gave way to the Kamakura period were marked by political and military conflict, natural disasters, and social malaise attributed to the perceived arrival of

2280-491: The only ones designated National Treasure in that category of crafts in the Kanagawa prefecture (also the only ones from the Kamakura period ). A waniguchi gong from 1540 hangs in the belfry. It designated an Important Cultural Property. Bentendo ( 弁天堂 ) is dedicated to the Benzaiten shrine in Enoshima . According to the legend, the cast of the Ogane successful thanks to the protection of Benzaiten . Once every 60 years

2340-554: The open seas dangerous. At a time when the shogunate had little interest in foreign affairs and ignored communications from China and the Goryeo dynasty , news arrived in 1268 of a new Mongol-led regime in Beijing . Its leader, Kublai , demanded that the Japanese pay tribute to the new Yuan dynasty and threatened reprisals if they failed to do so. Unused to such threats, Kyoto raised the diplomatic counter of Japan's divine origin, rejected

2400-459: The opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority and the government established a council centered around collective leadership. The period saw the adoption of Japan's first military code of law in 1232. There was an expansion of Buddhist teachings into Old Buddhism ( Kyū Bukkyō ) and New Buddhism ( Shin Bukkyō ). The Kamakura period marked Japan's transition to

2460-492: The other buildings and monuments are: There is an admission fee (as of 2017, 300 yen ) for visitors to enter the temple complex, and additional similar charges to enter a few of the buildings. Booths selling tourist items are located near the entrance, below the Sanmon, and there are refreshment facilities in the garden of the Shariden and at the platform where the Great Bell is located, from where there are extensive views across

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2520-707: The period in terms of the Buddhist concepts of impermanence and the vanity of human projects. The Heike Monogatari narrated the rise and fall of the Taira clan , replete with tales of wars and samurai deeds. A second literary mainstream was the continuation of anthologies of poetry in the Shin Kokin Wakashū , of which twenty volumes were produced between 1201 and 1205. During the Kamakura period six new Buddhist schools (classified by scholars as "New Buddhism" or Shin Bukkyo ) were founded: During this time

2580-595: The person most appropriate to assist in the restoration and preservation work of the ancient frescos in the Takamatsuzuka tumulus . In 1974, Maeda received a commission from Pope Paul VI for a painting of Hosokawa Gracia for the Vatican Museums . After Maeda's home was destroyed by the firebombing of Tokyo during World War II , Maeda relocated to Kamakura , where he lived within sight of Kita-Kamakura Station from 1945 until his death in 1977 at

2640-524: The pre-existing schools of Tendai , founded by Saichō (767–822), Shingon , founded by Kūkai (774–835), and the great temples of Nara , collectively classified by scholars as "Old Buddhism" or Kyū Bukkyo , continued to thrive, adapt, and exert influence. For example, all of the above six reformers had studied at the Tendai Mt. Hiei at some point in their lives. Throughout the Kamakura period, older Buddhist sects including Shingon , Tendai , and

2700-476: The rule of the shogunate. With this, the Kamakura period ended. There was a short re-establishment (1333–1336) of imperial rule under Go-Daigo assisted by Ashikaga Takauji and Nitta Yoshisada but would later lead to direct rule under Ashikaga, forming the Ashikaga shogunate in the succeeding Muromachi period . Several significant administrative achievements were made during the Hōjō regency. These provided

2760-473: The same time, Nitta Yoshisada , another eastern chieftain, rebelled against the shogunate, which quickly disintegrated, and the Hōjō were defeated. In the swell of victory, Go-Daigo endeavored to restore imperial authority and tenth-century Confucian practices. This period of reform, known as the Kenmu Restoration , aimed at strengthening the position of the emperor and reasserting the primacy of

2820-599: The shogun which became a powerless figurehead. The later Kamakura period saw the invasions of the Mongols in 1274 and again in 1281. To reduce the amount of chaos, the Hōjō rulers decided to decentralize power by allowing two imperial lines – Northern and Southern court , to alternate the throne. In the 1330s, the Southern court under Emperor Go-Daigo revolted and eventually led to the Siege of Kamakura in 1333 which ended

2880-558: The sponsorship of the Japanese government. In 1944, Maeda was appointed as an official court painter to the Imperial Household Agency , and taught painting to Empress Kōjun . In 1946, Maeda became an official judge of the annual Japan Arts Exhibitions ( Nitten ). He was also a professor at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music from 1950 until his retirement in 1959. Maeda

2940-537: The stability of the shogunate. The Hōjō reacted to the ensuing chaos by trying to place more power among the various great family clans. To further weaken the Kyoto court, the bakufu decided to allow two contending imperial lines—known as the Southern Court or junior line and the Northern Court or senior line—to alternate on the throne. The method worked for several successions until

3000-633: The temple. The fortunes of the temple have waxed and waned over the centuries. Its present form is owed to the Zen priest Seisetsu Shucho (1745–1820), also known as Daiyu Kokushi, who reconstructed and consolidated it towards the end of the Edo era. A particularly important year for these reforms and the history of the temple was 1785, the "500th Anniversary of the Foundation". In the Meiji era, Engaku-ji became

3060-505: The traditional Yamato-e and Rimpa styles of Japanese painting , and came to be known for his watercolor paintings on historical themes, primarily portraiture . However, Maeda worked in a variety of genres, including still life and landscapes . One of his most important works, Yoritomo in a cave , depicts medieval samurai leader Minamoto no Yoritomo hiding in a cave in Izu with seven of his trusted retainers after his defeat by

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3120-567: The two defeats of the Mongols to a "divine wind" or kamikaze , a sign of heaven's special protection of Japan, the invasion left a deep impression on the shogunate leaders. Long-standing fears of the Chinese threat to Japan were reinforced. The victory also convinced the warriors of the value of the shogunate form of government. The Yuan invasions had been a drain on the economy, and new taxes had to be levied to maintain defensive preparations for

3180-806: The upper floor there are statues enshrined of Bodhisattva , the Sixteen Arhats and the Twelve Heavenly Generals . The roof is covered with copper. It is designated an Important Cultural Property of the Kanagawa Prefecture . The large modern Butsuden ( 仏殿 ) (; main hall;) at the center of the Engaku-ji complex was rebuilt in 1964, after it was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake . The construction of this new building, surrounded by junipers ,

3240-430: The valley to other temple complexes in the Kita-Kamakura neighbourhood, such as Jōchi-ji and Tōkei-ji (another temple of the Engaku-ji school). Kamakura period The Kamakura period ( 鎌倉時代 , Kamakura jidai , 1185–1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate , officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shōgun Minamoto no Yoritomo after

3300-735: Was a member of the Kojikai artistic group from 1907, and of the Japan Fine Arts Academy ( Teikoku Bijitsuin ) from 1914. He visited Korea in 1915 and China in 1919. Under sponsorship of the Japan Fine Arts Academy, he visited Europe in 1922, touring Rome , Florence , Paris and London for almost one year. Although he was greatly impressed by the frescoes of the Italian Renaissance master Giotto at Assisi , Maeda remained faithful to

3360-402: Was appointed Seii Taishōgun ( 征夷大将軍 ) . Later, the prevailing theory was that the year was 1185, when Yoritomo established the Shugo ( 守護 ) , which controlled military and police power in various regions, and the Jitō ( 地頭 ) , which was in charge of tax collection and land administration. Japanese history textbooks as of 2016 do not specify a specific year for the beginning of

3420-400: Was awarded the Order of Culture and was named a Person of Cultural Merit in 1955. In 1967, he was selected to assist in the restoration work on the frescos of the Kondo Hall of the temple of Hōryū-ji in Nara together with Yasuda Yukihiko . His work was selected to decorate the Shakkyō-no-Ma hall of the new Tokyo Imperial Palace . The large painting was completed in 1955. It depicts

3480-426: Was made following closely a plan from 1573. It is dedicated to Hokan Shaka Nyorai ( Shakyamuni with a Jeweled Crown ), enshrined there, the main object of worship of the temple. This seated statue dates from the late Kamakura period . Statues of Bonten and Taishakuten in the same hall date from 1692. A painting of a dragon in the ceiling was painted by Tadashi Moriya under the supervision of Seison Maeda . Above

3540-462: Was not tied to beliefs and practices from Tendai or other orthodox schools and with little guidance for leading people how to live in the secular world. The final stage of Kamakura Buddhism, occurring some 50 years after Hōnen, was marked by new social and political conditions as the aristocracy declined, the military class asserted new influence, and Buddhist-infused local kami practice among peasants flourished. These changing conditions created

3600-451: Was transferred from the Taiheiji convent in Nishi Mikado , but it still dates from the Muromachi period . The structure is typical of kara-yo ( Chinese-style architecture ), also called Zenshu-yo ( Zen-sect-style ), introduced from China in the Kamakura period , with a style close to that of the Song dynasty . It houses what is claimed to be a tooth of Shakyamuni , presented by the Noninji Temple in China to Minamoto no Sanetomo . Among

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