“Lotus Temple” is another name for Tokoin. It has a long history of about 1300 years since the Nara period. Tokoin is a Soto Zen Buddhist temple. It welcomes people of all denominations.
In 735 AD, a priest named Gyoki introduced cremation to the people. Gyoki made a statue of Yakushi Nyorai. He offered lotus flowers he had planted himself. This is said to be the origin of Tokoin.
The temple was initially called Yakushi-do. In 1681, the priest Ryozan Zenkai changed the name to Tokoin. Ryozan Zenkai also converted the temple to the Soto Zen sect.
The temple fell into decline. However, in the early 1800s, two men helped revive it. These men were Heiemon Yanagimura and Hyozaemon Nakahara. The priest Gyoen Ichijo then rebuilt the temple.
During this time, Tokoin became known as “Tokoin in the north”. This was in contrast to “Shitennoji in the south”.
In 1873, Kawasaki Tobusho-gu Shrine was abolished. The main hall of that shrine was moved to Tokoin. A statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu was also moved.
In 1903, Doryo-do Hall was moved to Tokoin. Toyotomi Hideyoshi had requested this hall from Saijo-ji Temple in 1590.
In 1914, Tokoin was moved to its current location. In 1973, Tanijo-in Temple was merged with Tokoin.
In 1988, a Buddhist image was donated by a Sri Lankan monk.
In 1995, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake damaged Tokoin. However, the temple was restored. In 1997, a Buddha footprint stone was donated by a temple in Sri Lanka. In 2000, Sri Lankan Buddhists donated a white Buddha statue.
The Eleven-Faced Kannon statue is also known as “Koyo Kannon”. Court ladies of the Southern Dynasty made it. They were praying for Emperor Godaigo. In 1985, it was discovered that the statue had a Hokke-kyo scripture inside.
The garden at Tokoin is called “Roten-en”. It was named by Kogetsu Kitanooji. It has been selected as one of the “Osaka Greenery 100”.
Tokoin has many buildings. The main hall was rebuilt in 1999. It houses the Yakushi Nyorai statue. There is also the Eleven-Faced Kannon statue. The Bisha-monten hall houses statues of the Seven Lucky Gods. The Mitoryo Daigongen Hall is also on the grounds. The Tobusho-gu Hall is a tangible cultural property of Toyonaka City. There is also a hall dedicated to the Thirty-Three Kannon.
The temple grows many lotus flowers. About 3000 lotus flowers bloom every autumn. During this time, the “Lotus Festival Doryo Festival” is held. Many poets have visited Tokoin. Their poems are displayed on monuments in the temple.