📜 Content
Located in Toyama Prefecture, Zuiryuji Temple is the family temple of the second lord of the Kaga Domain, Maeda Toshinaga. It was completed in 1663 after 20 years of construction by the third lord, Maeda Toshitsune. The roof of the main hall is covered with lead tiles, which are said to weigh a total of 47 tons. The ceiling inside and outside the Dharma Hall features paintings of flowers and grasses by Kano Yasunobu, making it a place with many highlights worth viewing. This temple is a rare surviving example of Zen temple architecture from the early Edo period, with the Sanmon Gate, Main Hall, and Dharma Hall designated as National Treasures, while the Main Gate, Zen Hall, Great Storehouse, Cloister, and Large Tea Hall are classified as Important Cultural Properties.
The Main Gate, Sanmon Gate, Main Hall, and Dharma Hall are arranged in a straight line, connected by a cloister, reflecting the influence of Chinese temple architecture that was introduced to Japan during the Kamakura period. Zuiryuji was crafted by Yamauchi Zen'emon Yoshihiro, a master carpenter employed by the Maeda family, who is known for many famous buildings. At that time, there was a toilet next to the Zen Hall and a bathhouse next to the Great Storehouse, forming a complete set of seven halls; however, during the Meiji period, it was dismantled, and now only five halls remain.
The Main Hall, entirely made of keyaki wood, enshrines the principal deity Shakyamuni Buddha, with Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas on either side. The Dharma Hall, built in the style of a guest hall, houses the memorial tablet of Maeda Toshinaga. The guardian deity enshrined in the toilet, "Ususama Myōō," and the statue of Fudō Myōō, said to be created by the Chinese Obaku sect monk Banke Dōshin, are also must-sees. Additionally, every year, seasonal nighttime lantern lighting events are held, allowing the National Treasures to appear in a dreamlike manner against the darkness.
