Daisenji Priests’ Quarters 大山寺僧坊

Official explanation

In the past Daisenji Temple was much larger than today, and at one time was home to over a hundred monks’ living quarters. In the Edo period (1603–1867), the temple complex consisted of the Sairakuin Hall, its administrative center, with at least forty-two buildings serving as quarters for monks and pilgrims. Anti-Buddhist legislation enacted in 1875 sent the complex into decline, and today there are only ten buildings.

In 1914, the acclaimed writer Shiga Naoya (1883–1971) stayed at Renjoin Hall. The climax of his celebrated pre-war novel An’ya Koro (A Dark Night’s Passing), in which the writer-protagonist travels to Mt. Daisen for a pilgrimage and contemplation, was based on Shiga’s own experiences of climbing Mt. Daisen.

Read the full explanation

The ceiling paintings of nearby Enryuin Temple, which was reconstructed in 2009, were executed by the famous manga artist Mizuki Shigeru (1922–2015), who was raised in nearby Sakaiminato.

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.