Kodai-ji

Winter solitude
in a world of one color
the sound of wind
–Bashō

Kodai-ji Temple is located north east of Yasaka Hokan-ji Temple at the foot of Higashiyama Ryozen Mountains in Kyoto. It is officially called Kodaiji-jushozenji Temple. it is now a Zen temple of of the Rinzai branch of Buddhism.

Kodai-ji was originally founded in 838, but became a Buddhist nunnery when the temple was established in 1606 by Kita-no-Mandokoro (1548-1624) in memory of her late husband Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598). Kita-no-Mandokoro was also known as Nene. She later became a priestess and assumed the name of Kodaiin Kogetsuni.

In July 1624, Sanko Osho from Kennin-ji Temple was welcomed as the principal monk, and the temple was then named Kodai-ji. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616) (the first Tokugawa shogun) financed the construction of the temple, resulting in its magnificent appearance.

The grounds were done by Kobori Enshu, a famous garden designer and tea master.

The Kaisando (Founder’s Hall) has ceiling panels taken from Hideoyoshi’s flagship and from his wife’s carriage.

Two teahouses, the Kurakasa-tei and Shigure-tei, designed by the famous tea master, Sen no Rikyu sit in the upper part of the complex. I enjoyed having tea served in one of the teahouses.

https://www.kodaiji.com/e_index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sen_no_Riky%C5%AB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandokoro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nene_(aristocrat)