Kōdai-ji｜高台寺

Kōdai-ji, known more formally as Kōdaijusho Zen-ji, is one of several temples in Kyoto tied directly to a significant historical event or person- in this case, to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, known as one of the great unifiers of Japan, and his wife Sugihara Yasuko (1546-1624).   Kōdai-ji was founded in 1606 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s wife in order to pray for the repose of his soul.  Known colloquially by her childhood name of Nene, her titles included Kita no Mandokoro (the title used for the wife of the country’s regent) and Kōdai-in Kogetsuni, the Dharma name she received from Emperor Go-Yōzei when she took the tonsure and became a nun after her husband’s death. 

Nene was known as an exemplary principal wife despite the fact that she was unable to bear children, something that would normally be considered a mark against her in those times.  Despite problems in their marriage, she remained Hideyoshi’s close confidante and aide throughout his life due to her political savvy, kindness and intelligence.  After Hideyoshi’s death, she supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in his bid to become the next ruler of the country over the young Hideyori, Hideyoshi’s son with a concubine.  By securing Ieyasu’s support she enjoyed a respected position in the new Tokugawa shogunate government, and it was Tokugawa who financed the construction of the lavish Kōdai-ji for his former liege lord and Nene’s late husband.  Nene even received the rank of Juichii in 1588, which was the highest rank a woman could receive from the emperor. 

In 1606, the temple was constructed in the Momoyama style that Hideyoshi favored, which involved colorful wood lacquering and lavish gold décor, so much of which remains to this day that it is sometimes referred to as “the maki-e temple”.  In 1624, Sanko Jōeki from Kennin-ji Temple was brought in to serve as the chief abbot and the name Kōdai-ji officially attached in Nene’s honor.  Since Kōdai-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in the Kennin-ji tradition, it technically became a large sub-temple of the other.  Nene served as a nun at this temple until her death on September 6th, 1624, at age 76, at which point she was interred beneath the Otama-ya Sanctuary. 

Over the years Kōdai-ji was ravaged by fire along with the rest of the capital, with the most recent incident resulting in having to rebuild the main hall in 1912.  Despite this, the Otama-ya, Kaisan-dō, and other halls remain from the original construction, and multiple treasures have been beautifully preserved, such as a painting of Hideyoshi, various textile works, and a bronze bell inscribed with the founding year.  The temple displays such artifacts in their museum, the Kōdai-ji Shō Museum.