About 500 meters south of the Bikan Historical Area.
On a hilltop stands a temple called “Kyozenji Temple.”
It is in a place that makes you wonder, “There’s a temple here?” But in fact, it is a historic temple that has stood since the Muromachi period.
Highlights on the grounds include a well associated with Kobori Enshu, a Bitchu deputy governor who was active as a tea master, and historic sites related to Morita Sessai, who devoted himself to education in Kurashiki at the end of the Edo period.
Here we introduce Kyozenji Temple, a hidden gem near the Bikan Historical Area.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in March 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Kyozenji Temple is an old temple founded in the mid-Muromachi period
Kyozenji Temple is south of the Bikan Historical Area in Kurashiki. It belongs to the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha school of Buddhism.
▼It stands at a high elevation atop a stone wall, at the northwestern foot of a mountain called Mukoyama.
▼To reach the temple grounds, climb the stone steps.
Kyozenji Temple is an old temple that has stood since the mid-Muromachi period.
In the early Edo period, the samurai Kobori Enshu, who was also famous as a tea master, visited Kyozenji Temple.
Highlights of Kyozenji Temple
There are historically renowned spots on the grounds of Kyozenji Temple.
We introduce them below. Since they are all in the cemetery, please be mindful that it is a cemetery when visiting.
Enshu Well
The Enshu Well is a well on the grounds of Kyozenji Temple.
It is unclear when the well was dug.
It is said to have existed before Kyozenji Temple moved to its present location.
Its water is clear and pure, and it has long been known as a source of fine water.
Even today, it is said to maintain a steady water level throughout the year.
The well is named after Kobori Masakazu, better known as Kobori Enshu.
In the early Edo period, Kobori Enshu became the lord of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle (present-day Takahashi City) as the “Bitchu deputy governor,” administering the shogunate lands in Bitchu Province.
At the time, Bitchu Matsuyama Castle was also shogunate land.
Kurashiki Village (now central Kurashiki City) was a port that served as a base for transporting goods to and from Matsuyama inland.
Kobori Enshu was not only a samurai but also an active tea master.
It is said that whenever he visited Kurashiki, he used water from the Enshu Well to prepare tea every morning and evening.
The well came to be called Enshu Well because it was a favorite of Kobori Enshu.
▼The well is usually covered, so you cannot see inside.
The official Kurashiki City website has a photo of the inside of the well.
Location and directions to the Enshu Well
▼After climbing the stone steps and entering the grounds, continue straight past the Sanmon Gate to reach the cemetery gate.
▼Open the gate, enter the cemetery, and continue straight.
▼Climb the stone steps you come to.
▼When you see a tree to the right of the steps, take the side path branching off to the left.
Continue along the path as it curves sharply to the right.
▼You will then see a wooded area on your right.
This is the Enshu Well.
▼A stone engraved with “Enshu Well” stands beside the well; use it as a landmark.
Grass had grown over the bottom of the stone, obscuring the character “井” in Enshu Well.
Memorial monument to Morita Sessai and the grave of Morita Amou
▼Another spot at Kyozenji Temple is the memorial monument to Morita Sessai and the grave of Morita Amou.
Morita Sessai and Morita Amou were father and daughter in the late Edo period.
Sessai was born in what is now Gojo City, Nara Prefecture, and was a cultured figure active as a Confucian scholar, Chinese studies scholar, and poet.
After studying under Rai Sanyo, he traveled around the country.
He also stayed in Uwanari Village, Asakuchi District, Bitchu Province—now Uwanari, Tamashima, Kurashiki City—and opened a private school.
In the spring of 1861, influential figures in Kurashiki Village—Miyake Johei (Hiroeya), Ueda Buemon (Kojimaya), and Hayashi Fuichi (Osakaya, later mayor of Kurashiki)—invited Sessai to Kurashiki.
He then opened a private school called Kanjuku at the former Hanaya residence of the Inoue family, where he taught mainly children.
A girl was born while the family was living in Kurashiki.
It is also said that she was named Morita Amou because she was born during a lesson on Mencius.
However, she died of illness in 1863.
▼Grief-stricken, Sessai carved the inscription on the gravestone himself and had her buried at Kyozenji Temple.
Sessai later left Kurashiki and died in Naga District, Kii Province (present-day Kinokawa City, Wakayama Prefecture).
▼For this reason, a memorial monument to Morita Sessai was erected beside the grave of Morita Amou at Kyozenji Temple.
Perhaps he thought it would be lonely for the child to be alone.
Where to Find the Memorial Monument to Morita Sessai and Morita Amo’s Grave, and How to Get There
▼Open the cemetery gate and enter. A little ahead to the right, in the direction you are walking, you will see a spot where several graves stand together.
▼The memorial monument to Morita Sessai and Morita Amo’s grave stand side by side there.
▼The one on the right is Morita Amo’s grave.
▼The one on the left is the memorial monument to Morita Sessai.
Kyozenji Temple Does Not Offer Goshuin
Kyozenji Temple is a Jodo Shinshu temple.
With a few exceptions, Jodo Shinshu temples do not offer goshuin.
Therefore, Kyozenji Temple does not offer goshuin.
History of Kyozenji Temple
Kyozenji Temple is said to have been founded in 1490, during the middle of the Muromachi period, by a monk named Enkyo.
Enkyo was originally a government official serving as Kyoto’s military governor, and his name was Chiba Saemon Tokutada.
He later became a monk and trained under Rennyo, a priest of Honganji Temple.
He eventually traveled around the country and arrived in Kurashiki.
In 1490, he built a hall called Konkodo on the summit of Mt. Mukai and enshrined an image of Amida Buddha there.
This was the predecessor of Kyozenji Temple.
During the Azuchi-Momoyama period, in 1528, the temple moved to what is now Honmachi (Mukaiichiba-cho), Kurashiki City.
Later, in the early Edo period, during the Kan’ei era (1624–1664), it came to be known by its present name, Kyozenji Temple.
The temple was destroyed by fire during the mid-Edo period, in the Horeki era (1751–1774).
In 1776, it moved to its present location and was rebuilt.
The main hall standing today was rebuilt in 2011.
From the Writer
Kobori Enshu was based at Bitchu Matsuyama Castle (Takahashi City), so I was surprised to learn that there was a place connected to him in Kurashiki.
Kyozenji Temple is a little south of the Bikan Historical Area, but it is just a short walk away, so if you are interested in history, why not visit?
Exploring the hidden history of the local area is one of the pleasures of sightseeing.
Kyozenji Temple Information
| Name | Kyozenji Temple |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Seiko-zan |
| Buddhist sect | Jodo Shinshu Honganji-ha |
| Location | 1604 Funakura-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-1623 |
| Parking | Available |
| Goshuin (offering fee) | Not available |
| Visiting hours | Daytime only |
| Closed | None |
| Admission | Free |
| Website | Religious Corporation Kyozenji Temple |
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