Jakko-in Temple

In short

A Tendai sect nunnery in the village of Kusao in Ohara. It is said to have been founded in 594 by Prince Shotoku to pray for the soul of his father, Emperor Yomei, and it is known for its ties to The Tale of the Heike. After the Genpei War, Kenreimon-in entered this temple and spent the rest of her life praying for the repose of the Taira clan and her son, Emperor Antoku.

• ​Main Hall and Former Principal Image​​: The main hall, reconstructed to its original form in 2005 after a fire in 2000, enshrines a standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu that replicates the former principal image
• ​Migiwa Pond and Shiho Shomen Pond​​: Migiwa Pond in front of the main hall is a garden depicted in The Tale of the Heike, where the Migiwa cherry tree and the Himekomatsu pine evoke the past. To the east of the main hall lies the Shiho Shomen Pond
• ​Sites Associated with Kenreimon-in​​: A stone monument and a well remain at the site of the hermitage where Kenreimon-in is said to have lived, and on the elevated ground to the east of the temple is Ohara Nishino Misasagi, said to be her tomb

History and Highlights

Located in the village of Kusao in Ohara, ​Jakko-in Temple​ is a nunnery of the Tendai sect. It is said to have been founded in 594 by Prince Shotoku to pray for the soul of his father, Emperor Yomei. The first head nun is believed to have been Tamateru-hime, the prince's wet nurse, who later took the Buddhist name Ezen-bikuni.

Jakko-in Temple is known for its ties to The Tale of the Heike. Following the defeat in the Genpei War, Kenreimon-in—daughter of Taira no Kiyomori and mother of Emperor Antoku—entered this temple in September 1185. Living quietly alongside her court ladies, she spent the rest of her life praying for the repose of the Taira clan, who perished at Dan-no-ura, and her son, Emperor Antoku. In late April of the following year, 1186, Cloistered Emperor Goshirakawa made a discreet visit to her residence, an encounter known as the "Ohara Goko" episode in The Tale of the Heike.

The main hall was destroyed in a fire in 2000, but following a careful study of surviving wooden frames and architectural components, it was reconstructed to its original form in 2005 after five years of work.

Viewing and Experience Highlights

• ​Main Hall and Former Principal Image​​: Enshrined in the main hall is a new standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu, crafted to replicate the shape and size of the original Kamakura-period principal image. Partly because the votive objects placed inside it survived almost unharmed, the fire-damaged original image still retains its designation as an Important Cultural Property and is housed in a storage building in the inner precinct.
• ​Migiwa Pond and Shiho Shomen Pond​​: Migiwa Pond in front of the main hall is a garden depicted in The Tale of the Heike. The Migiwa cherry tree and the Himekomatsu pine, which withered during the fire and is now enshrined as a sacred tree, evoke scenes of the past. To the east of the main hall lies the Shiho Shomen Pond, planted so that it presents a frontal view from all four directions.
• ​Sites Associated with Kenreimon-in​​: Behind the north side of the main hall is the site of the hermitage where the empress dowager is said to have lived, marked by a stone monument and a well she is said to have used. On the elevated ground behind the east side of the temple is Ohara Nishino Misasagi, believed to be the tomb of Kenreimon-in.

Walking Tips

The temple is about a 15-minute walk from the Kyoto Bus "Ohara" bus stop. From in front of the gate, a straight stone-paved path leads to Ohara Nishino Misasagi, lined with autumn foliage that turns beautiful in season. When in Ohara, touring the area alongside Sanzen-in Temple and Hosen-in Temple is also recommended.