Tōrin-in
Tōrin-in (東林院, Tōrin-in, East Woods Cloister) is a sub-temple of the temple complex of Myōshin-ji in Kyoto, Japan. As such, it is affiliated with the Myōshin-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.
Name
The temple is named for Donglin Temple (simplified Chinese: 东林寺; traditional Chinese: 東林寺; pinyin: Dōnglínsì) at the base of Mount Lu in China.
Due to a famous 300-year-old sal tree on the grounds, it is colloquially known as the Sal Tree Temple (沙羅双樹の寺, sarasōju-no-tera). A festival is held every June to celebrate the sal tree and its flowers.
History
The temple was founded in 1531 in Kamigyō-ku as a family temple for the Hosokawa clan, and named Sanyū-in (三友院). In 1556, it passed to the Yamana clan, whose family temple it remains to this day, and was moved to its current location within Myōshin-ji and renamed to Tōrin-in.
Visiting
The temple is not generally open to walk-up visitors, but is open year-round for shukubō (monastery lodging, reservations by return postcard) and shōjin-ryōri (devotional cuisine, 3 or more people). The current head priest, NISHIKAWA Genbō (西川玄房) is a noted researcher on devotional cuisine, frequently appearing on television and in magazine articles, and a class on devotional cuisine is held every Tuesday.
Further, the temple holds three annual events, which are open to the public (admission charged, reservations not required):
- Celebrate the New Year with Adzuki-bean Gruel (小豆粥で初春を祝う会, azuki-gayu de shoshun wo iwau kai) – second half of January, from January 15, celebrating koshōgatsu (小正月, Little New Year) (daytime, devotional cuisine meal)
- Admiration of sal tree flowers (沙羅の花を愛でる会, sara-no-hana wo mederu kai) – second half of June (daytime, with tea or with devotional cuisine meal)
- Festival of fondness of lantern light (梵燈のあかりに親しむ会, Bontō-no-akari ni shitashimu kai) – early/mid-October (10 days, from first or second Friday, 6–9 pm)
External links
- 塔頭寺院案内 東林院 (sub-temple information: Tōrin-in) (in Japanese)
- 東林院, JR (Japan Rail) information page on temple and sal tree festival (in Japanese)
Events
- 東林院・小豆粥で初春を祝う会 (Adzuki-bean gruel festival, Kyoto Tourism) (in Japanese)
- 小豆粥で初春を祝う会 2012（東林院） (blog post) (in Japanese)
- 東林院・沙羅の花を愛でる会 (Sal tree festival, Kyoto Tourism) (in Japanese)
- 沙羅双樹の寺 東林院 沙羅の花を愛でる (blog post) (in Japanese)
- 東林院 「沙羅の花を愛でる会」 最終日 (blog post) (in Japanese)
- 東林院・梵燈のあかりに親しむ会 (Lantern festival, Kyoto Tourism) (in Japanese)
- 東林院で「梵燈のあかりに親しむ会」 (Lantern festival, Yomiuri, video) (in Japanese)
- ７日から東林院で「梵燈のあかりに親しむ会」 (Lantern festival, Kyoto Newspaper) (in Japanese)