Daigo. That word means ghee. It is used to describe the purest essence of milk. Welcome to Daigo-ji Temple. It is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Kyoto.
Daigo-ji was founded in the early Heian period. Buddhist monk Shobo founded it in 874. He discovered a well with spiritual water. Emperors supported the temple financially. They also gave spiritual support. The temple grew and prospered. Yakushi Hall was built in 907. Sakyamuni Hall followed in 926. A five-story pagoda was completed in 951.
Daigo refers to Buddha’s five teachings in India. These were compared to five types of milk. Daigo is the purest form of milk. Daigo-ji is the main temple of the Ono sect. This is a Shingon school of Japanese Buddhism.
Daigo-ji has played a role in temporal events. Minamoto Toshifusa seized power from the Fujiwara family. This guaranteed prosperity for the temple. Fire destroyed the complex during the Onin War. Only the pagoda survived.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi restored Daigo-ji. He was attracted to the cherry trees. The abbot persuaded him to rebuild it. Hideyoshi restored it in his opulent style.
Daigo-ji is now a World Heritage Site. This is primarily because of its treasures. Sanboin is an Imperial temple. Its Karamon gate opened only for Imperial messengers. The Sanboin Garden is a National Treasure. It contains 800 rocks.
The Gojonoto is a five-story pagoda. It was completed in 951. It is the oldest of its kind in Japan. The pagoda is 38 meters tall. The impressive Niomon Gate was rebuilt in 1605 after a fire.
Reihokan Hall contains ten National Treasures. It also has 50 Important Cultural Properties. It is open from October 1 to December 3. Admission costs 600 yen.
Daigo-ji is divided into two parts. They are kami and shimo or upper and lower. Most visitors stay in the lower part. The famous buildings and pagoda are there. Walking to Kami Daigo is rewarding. It takes about an hour. You can admire the historic buildings. They are set among peaceful trees and bamboo.
Nyonindo is the Hall for Women. Women used it for worship. They were banned from climbing holy mountains. Seiryu Gongengu is a Shinto shrine. It dates from 1434. It has the sacred spring discovered by Shobo.
Junteido contains an image of Kannon. Kannon is the Goddess of Mercy. You can enter it. Yakushido dates from 1121. It is a National Treasure. It contains an image of Yakushi Nyorai. It was carved in 907. At the top of the 400m hill are three more buildings. They are the Godaido, the Nyoirindo and Kaisando. The latter two have beautiful cypress-bark roofs. They date from the end of the 17th century.
Emperor Daigo entered Buddhist priesthood here. He took the name Ho-kongo. He died at age 46. He was buried in the temple. This is why his name was Daigo. Daigo-ji’s five-story pagoda is Kyoto’s oldest building. It survived the Onin War.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi held a cherry blossom party here in 1598. It was called Daigo no hanami. The bright maple leaves attract tourists in autumn.
Daigo-ji has three parts. They are Samboin, Shimo-Daigo and Kami-Daigo. These are progressively older and wilder. They are further up the mountain. Samboin and Shimo-Daigo are at the base. They are easily accessible. They attract the most tourists. Kami-Daigo is on top. It requires a strenuous hike. It is less visited. Entering Samboin, the museum, Shimo-Daigo or Kami-Daigo requires admission.