Rinnoji Temple (Nikko)
Map
Nikko-san Rinnoji, in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, is a large Tendai temple said to have been opened in 766 (the 2nd year of Tenpyo-jingo) by Shodo Shonin. Together with Nikko Toshogu and Nikko Futarasan Jinja it forms the 'Two Shrines and One Temple' (Nisha Ichiji), and it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1999 as 'Shrines and Temples of Nikko.' Its main hall, the Sanbutsudo, is said to be the largest wooden building in eastern Japan, and enshrines three great Buddha statues as the original forms of the three Nikko mountains.
Temple Info
- Sect
- Tendai
- Principal Image
- Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha); Thousand-Armed Kannon; Horse-Headed Kannon (Sanbutsudo)
- Founded
- Said to date from Tenpyo-jingo 2 (766)
History & Origins
It begins with Shodo Shonin opening Mt. Nikko in 766 (the 2nd year of Tenpyo-jingo). It was then developed as a Tendai temple in the Heian period, and in the Edo period large-scale construction was carried out under the patronage of the Tokugawa shogunate. The present Sanbutsudo was completed in 1645 (the 2nd year of Shoho) through a donation by the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, a grand building measuring 33 m wide, 22 m deep and 26 m high.
Highlights
In the main hall, the Sanbutsudo, you can see three great Buddha statues, Amida Nyorai, Senju Kannon and Batto Kannon (each 7.5 m tall), at close range. The Taiyuin, the mausoleum of the third shogun Iemitsu, is also a must-see building, with splendid ornamental carvings. The 'Gohan-shiki (Nikko-zeme)' held on April 2 each year is known as an unusual festival in which monks in yamabushi attire press worshippers with a heaping offering of food.
Visitor Guide
From JR Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station, take a bus to 'Nishi-sando' or 'Daiyuin / Futarasan Jinja-mae' and you are right there. Admission is 400 yen for the Sanbutsudo and 550 yen for the Taiyuin (a combined ticket is available). Hours are 8:00-17:00 (varying by season). Allow about 1-1.5 hours for the Sanbutsudo and Taiyuin together.
Best Season
The autumn foliage season (late October to early November) is especially beautiful, when the grounds are brilliantly colored. The halls set against spring fresh greenery or winter snowscapes also have a charm.
Annual Events
- April
Gohanshiki (Nikko-zeme, Rice Eating Rite)
A distinctive Tendai sect rite held on April 2. In a lively ceremony, priests dressed as yamabushi press worshippers to drink from a large sake cup and eat a heaped bowl of rice, in prayer for a rich harvest and good health.
- May
Ennen no Mai (Ennen Dance)
Ancient-style gagaku and dance dedicated on the temple grounds. It is a traditional performing art handed down through the long history of Nikkosan.
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