Ryōgen-ji
Encyclopedia
is a Buddhist temple
located in the town of Ōtaki
in Chiba Prefecture
, Japan. It is closely associated with Honda Tadakatsu
, a daimyō
of the late Sengoku
through early Edo period
loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu
.
, and he constructed the jōkamachi
, or castle town, of Ōtaki Castle
. Tadakatsu placed the temple in a strategically defensive position in the Shinmachi District above the Isumi River
to protect the castle town from the south. The temple was originally called but was renamed Ryōgen-ji, the name by which it is known today, after the death of Honda Tadakatsu.
, or main hall of the temple, is a grave site dedicated to Honda Tadakatsu, his wife, and younger son Honda Tadatomo
.. The three tombstones, in the shape of 1 meter (3 ft)-high pagodas, exist to this day: Tadakatsu's in the middle, his wife's to the right, and Tadatomo's to the left. The grave site was constructed to face due north towards a full view of Ōtaki Castle. The temple currently houses a wealth of items related to Honda Tadakatsu and the Honda clan
, including his portrait, Buddhist mortuary tablet
, and numerous archival documents of the period.
Buddhist temples in Japan
Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. In...
located in the town of Ōtaki
Otaki, Chiba
is a town located in Isumi District, Chiba, Japan, occupying the center of the Bōsō Peninsula. The town is known for its association with Edo period general Honda Tadakatsu and its prominent castle. As of 2010, the town had an estimated population of 10,794 and a population density of 83.1 persons...
in Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, Japan. It is closely associated with Honda Tadakatsu
Honda Tadakatsu
, also called Honda Heihachirō , was a Japanese general of the late Sengoku through early Edo period, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. - Biography :A native of Mikawa Province in...
, a daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of the late Sengoku
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
through early Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
.
Construction
The temple was built in 1595 by Tadakatsu. Ieyasu granted Honda Tadakatsu the Ōtaki DomainOtaki Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Kazusa Province , Japan. It was centered on Ōtaki Castle in what is now the town of Ōtaki, Chiba.-History:...
, and he constructed the jōkamachi
Castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
, or castle town, of Ōtaki Castle
Ōtaki Castle (Chiba)
is a Japanese castle located in Ōtaki, southeast Chiba Prefecture, Japan. In the Edo period, Ōtaki Castle was home to the daimyō of Ōtaki Domain of Kazusa Province, the Satomi clan...
. Tadakatsu placed the temple in a strategically defensive position in the Shinmachi District above the Isumi River
Isumi River
The is a river in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is in length and has a drainage area of . Under the Rivers Act of 1906 the Isumi is designated as a Class 2 River. Additionally, the government has designated the Isumi River a national-level .-Geography:...
to protect the castle town from the south. The temple was originally called but was renamed Ryōgen-ji, the name by which it is known today, after the death of Honda Tadakatsu.
Cultural objects
100 metres (328.1 ft) to the west of the KondōMain Hall (Japanese Buddhism)
Main hall is the term used in English for the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound which enshrines the main object of veneration. Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English term translates several Japanese words, among them Butsuden,...
, or main hall of the temple, is a grave site dedicated to Honda Tadakatsu, his wife, and younger son Honda Tadatomo
Honda Tadatomo
a retainer of the Japanese clan of Tokugawa following the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century to the Edo period of the 17th century of Japan. Tadatomo was the younger son of the famous Honda Tadakatsu, one of Four Guardians of the Tokugawa. Tadatomo received a 100,000-koku fief at Ōtaki in...
.. The three tombstones, in the shape of 1 meter (3 ft)-high pagodas, exist to this day: Tadakatsu's in the middle, his wife's to the right, and Tadatomo's to the left. The grave site was constructed to face due north towards a full view of Ōtaki Castle. The temple currently houses a wealth of items related to Honda Tadakatsu and the Honda clan
Honda clan
The ' is a Japanese family that claims descent from the medieval court noble Fujiwara no Kanemichi. The family settled in Mikawa and served the Matsudaira clan as retainers. Later, when the main Matsudaira family became the Tokugawa clan, the Honda rose in prestige. The clan includes thirteen...
, including his portrait, Buddhist mortuary tablet
Spirit tablet
A spirit tablet or ancestral tablet is a placard used to designate the seat of a deity or past ancestor as well as to enclose it. With origins in traditional Chinese culture, the spirit tablet is a common sight in many East Asian countries where any form of ancestor veneration is practiced...
, and numerous archival documents of the period.