Chinkôji monastery, (in) Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, JP

Raw data

Chinkôji was built to the East of the Kamo River, across from Rokudô and Toribeno, the Fifth and Sixth Ward Avenues of Heian-kyô (Kyoto). However, it may have been built before the Heian capital was established.

It became a sub-temple of Tôji monastery. The governor of Tango Province, Taira Masamori (1151–1185) and other notables in the late Heian period are known to have rented land from Chinkôji to cultivate crops. In exchange for gifts of silk, sake and fish, the resident monks gave them permission to build residences and private chapels. By 1112, Chikôji had 48 chapels and sub-temples.

- Piggott, ed. (2006: 272, 278)

Chinkôji is said to have been founded by Kishun Sôzu, and later rebuilt by Kûkai (774–835). In the Takamuradô hall there is a statue of Emma, lord of Hell. In his visualizations of hell, the scholar Ono-no-Takamura (802-–853) would start by imagining the Takamura Hall and end with Shô-Rokudô in Saga. In a ritual of August 9 and 10, pilgrims welcome the returning spirits of the dead.

- Kyoto City Council (1895: 113-4)

Today, there is almost nothing left besides the Emma Hall, near the better known Rokuharamitsuji temple. The hall is open only during the Bon festival between August 7 and 10. During this time, visitors “ring Chinkoji’s bell, which is believed to resound as far as the Other World.”
- http://www.japannavigator.com/junrei/reijo/5-ban.htm

Input by: Lizbeth H. Piel, Jul 06, 2010

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 08 Jul 2010

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Chinko-ji monastery, JP.

General location of the Chinko-ji monastery, JP.
Lat 34.9971 Long 135.7733
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.9971+135.7733+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Chinkoji%20monastery,%20JP)&ll=34.9971,135.7733&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Chinkôji. Alternative English spelling: Chinkô-ji, Chinkoji

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • Japan: Kyoto Prefecture

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

  • Rokudô - Kyoto City Council (1895: 113)

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 34.9971 Long 135.7733 - based on visual identification of Chinkôji monastery in maps.google.com, tmciolek, 8 Jul 2010.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries


6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • Mahayana

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • Shingon

11. Date-early

  • Before 794 - Piggott (2006: 278)
  • MBM chrono-tag: 0733-66p 0767-99c 0800-32c - tmciolek 13 Jan 2013
  • 0733-66p 0767-99c 0800-32c 0833-66c 0867-99c 0900-32c 0933-66c 0967-99c 1000-32c 1033-66c 1067-99c 1100-32c 1133-66c 1167-99c 1200=> dated-el

12. Date-intermediate

  • Active during the times of the governor of Tango Province, Taira Masamori (1151–1185) - Piggott, ed. (2006: 272, 278)

13. Date-late

  • Active in the 2000s - Kyoto City Council (1895: 113-4)
  • MBM chrono-tag: 1200=> - tmciolek 13 Jan 2013

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • A sub-temple of the Tôji monastery. - Piggott, ed. (2006: 272)

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • Architectural, documents

16. Additional notes

  • In a ritual of August 9 and 10, pilgrims welcome the returning spirits of the dead - Kyoto City Council (1895: 113-4)

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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