Rinzaiji Temple

Rinzaiji Temple was originally founded by Imagawa Ujichika for his son, Imagawa Yoshimoto who had become a monk when young. At the beginning, this temple was the residence of the Imagawa Clan but changed to Zentokin Temple. After Ujichika died, Yoshimoto’s older brother, Imagawa Ujiteru, took over the Imagawa Clan but died in 1536. Because of this, Yoshimoto was forced to take over the Imagawa Clan. Yoshimoto decided to change the temple’s name after a Posthumous Buddhist name of his brother which was Rinzaiji. Yoshimoto also invited a priest called Taigen Sessai to be the chief priest. When Tokugawa Ieyasu was a hostage of the Imagawa Clan, he was also educated by Sessai. This education had a big influence of Ieyasu’s later life. The room where Tokugawa Ieyasu used to study was also reconstructed. Nowadays this temple trains novice monks of Rinzai Buddhism, therefore it is not open to the public. There are only two days of the year that are an exception to this rule.