Kanenbo Dojo Site 嘉念坊道場遺跡

Official explanation

Kanenbo Zenshun was an itinerant priest who is believed to have introduced Jodo Shinshu (True Pure Land) Buddhism to the Shirakawa area in the thirteenth century. A disciple of Shinran (1173–1263), the founder of Jodo Shinshu, Zenshun traveled widely on missionary duties before settling in the village of Hatogaya. With the help of the influential Yamashita family, who lived nearby, he established a training hall (dojo) as a base for spreading Shinran’s teachings.

Zenshun’s efforts bore fruit, and Jodo Shinshu eventually became the dominant form of Buddhism throughout the Hida area (the northern part of present-day Gifu Prefecture). It has influenced local life and culture significantly over the centuries, affecting everything from burial practices to culinary culture and architecture.

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As Jodo Shinshu took hold in Hida, its institutions became more formalized. Zenshun’s simple dojo was moved to the neighboring village of Iijima by the priest’s grandson, who turned it into an official temple, Shorenji. That temple was later relocated several times, most recently in 1959 to make way for the Miboro Dam in southern Shirakawa. Shorenji is now located in the city of Takayama, whereas the original site of Zenshun’s dojo in Hatogaya has been preserved as a historical landmark. A modern-day reconstruction of the hall, a modest wooden building with a thatched roof, stands behind the site.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.