Kenninji Temple

Kennin-ji, located in Kyoto’s Higashiyama Ward, is the head temple of the Kennin-ji branch of the Rinzai school and is known as Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple. It was founded in 1202 by Zen Master Eisai, who returned from Song China and modeled it after the Zen style of Mount Baizhang in China. The temple takes its name from the era name “Kennin,” and its establishment was made possible when Minamoto no Yoriie, the second shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, donated the temple grounds.

At the time of its founding, the temple was established as a place of study of three traditions—Zen, Tendai, and esoteric Buddhism—showing flexibility in response to the religious climate of the period. Later, in 1258, Enni Ben’en, the founder of Tofuku-ji, is said to have stayed there temporarily and worked to restore the temple grounds, and in 1259, the Song Zen monk Lanxi Daolong, also the founder of Kencho-ji, is said to have stayed there as well. Through these developments, Kennin-ji gradually came to embody a pure Zen training ground with strict Zen manners and rules.

During the Muromachi period, the Muromachi shogunate established the “Kyoto Gozan,” modeled on the system in China, and Kennin-ji was ranked third among them, receiving strong protection from the shogunate and flourishing greatly. However, many of its buildings were destroyed by warfare and repeated fires, and it is said to have suffered especially severe damage in a major fire during the Tenmon era in the mid-16th century.

Thereafter, in 1599 during the Azuchi-Momoyama period, restoration began with the relocation of the Hojo from Ankoku-ji in Aki Province. In the Edo period, under the protection of the Tokugawa shogunate, the various temple buildings were restored, and its institutions and scholarship were established. In the Meiji period, due to the government’s religious policies, it became independent as the head temple of the Kennin-ji branch of the Rinzai school. In addition, the abolition of Buddhism and other factors led to the consolidation and dissolution of subtemples, reducing the precincts to about half of their former size.

The temple complex of Kennin-ji is a classic Zen temple layout, with the Chokushi-mon gate, Sanmon gate, Hodo (Dharma Hall), and Hojo (abbot’s quarters) aligned in a straight line facing the front. The Chokushi-mon, the main gate, is a four-legged gate with a gabled roof covered in copper plates, preserving the style of the late Kamakura period, and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Because of the arrow marks remaining on the gate posts and doors from wartime, it is also called the “Yano-ne-mon” or “Yadate-mon.”

The Hodo was rebuilt in 1765 and is a Buddhist hall building with five bays by four bays, one story, and a mokoshi subroof. Its ceiling features the enormous “Twin Dragons” painting by artist Junzaku Koizumi, created in 2002 to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the temple’s founding. This powerful ceiling painting, equivalent in size to 108 tatami mats, overwhelms all who visit.

Located on the north side, the Hojo was relocated from Ankoku-ji in Aki Province and is an Important Cultural Property that retains strong characteristics of the Momoyama period. Inside, 50 fusuma sliding door paintings by Kaihō Yūshō remain, creating a solemn atmosphere. In front of the Hojo lies Daiyuen, a karesansui dry landscape garden covered in white sand, evoking the serenity and refined aesthetic of Zen.

The temple’s main hall also displays a high-resolution reproduction of the National Treasure “Wind and Thunder Gods Screen,” said to be by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, which can be viewed alongside works by Kaihō Yūshō. The original works are both entrusted to the Kyoto National Museum.

In terms of culture, the “Yotsugashira Tea Ceremony” is held every year on April 20. This date marks the birthday of Kennin-ji’s founding abbot, Eisai Zenji, and the event commemorates his bringing tea seeds back to Japan and spreading the custom of drinking tea. It is a formal tea gathering conducted according to the traditional “Yotsugashira” style, attracting many tea practitioners and worshippers.

In addition, a seated Zen meditation session called “Senkokai” is held on the morning of the second Sunday of every month. Zazen is practiced for two hours starting at 7:30 a.m., followed by a Dharma talk, offering the general public a valuable opportunity to experience the spirit of Zen. Group visits, including school excursions, may also participate through prior consultation.

Scattered throughout the grounds are 14 subtemples, including Reitō-in; while some are not open to the public, certain subtemples, gardens, and tea rooms are open for visitors. By touring these sites, one can more deeply experience the multilayered appeal of Kennin-ji and the worldview of Zen.

In this way, Kennin-ji is one of Kyoto’s most prestigious temples, blending not only the history of Japan’s oldest Zen temple but also a rich range of cultural elements such as architecture, painting, gardens, tea ceremony, and zazen meditation. Its atmosphere, combining tranquility with dignity, offers visitors profound inspiration and a sense of peace.