Genjō-in Site

It is the head temple (a temple of distinguished lineage) of the Nichiren sect. Its predecessor was the Shingon sect temple, Ninyōzan Gokoku-in Kongo-daiji, founded in the 7th year of Empress Jitō's reign (695 CE) by En no Gyōkaku. In the 11th year of the Bun'ei era (1274 CE), Nichiren visited the area, and the abbot, Zenchi Hōin, was deeply impressed by him and converted to Nichiren Buddhism. Consequently, in the 1st year of the Kenji era (1275 CE), the temple was renamed Tokueizan Myōhō-ji. It received donations from the Takeda and Tokugawa families, and during the Edo period, it was granted imperial edicts by successive shoguns, boasting the prestige of an ancient and distinguished temple.