Raw data
Located on foothills overlooking the Ashida river, Myôô’in was apparently founded in 807 as Jôfukuji by Shingon leader Kukai (according to the temple’s founding legend). The main object of worship, the 11-faced Kannon (Avalokiteshvara) dates to the first half of the Heian period (794–1185), which may support the founding date. The remains of a community outside the gates (Kusato-sengen) have been unearthed, indicating that Myôô’in flourished in the medieval period (mainly Muromachi era). Myôô’in’s known history dates to the Edo period (1600–1868), when it prospered under the Mizuno and Abe clans, administrators of Kusato domain. The main hall, built in 1321, and the 5-story pagoda, built in 1348, are national treasures.
- “Myôô’in (Fukuyama-shi)” http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/明王院_(福山市)
Photographs of the national treasures: http://www.kokuhoworld.com/106.html
Input by: Lizbeth H. Piel, August 09, 2012
Final data (and their sources)
Last updated: 27 Jan 2014
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.
General location of the Myoo'in monastery, JP.
Lat 34.4787 Long 133.346
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2012.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Myôô’in 明王院. Alternative English spelling: Myôôin, Myôô-in.
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- Japan: Hiroshima Prefecture
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- Chûdôsan - Uryû (2003: 240)
- Chûdôsan Enkôji Myôô’in - Uryû (2003: 240)
- Jôfukuji - Uryû (2003: 240)
- Myoo-in Temple - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiwillbe/4277127694/
- Myōō-in - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myōō-in
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx., Lat 34.4787 Long 133.346 - based http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myōō-in as well as on visual identification of the site in maps/satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 10 Aug 2012.
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
- [missing data]
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
- Fukuyama-shi (city), Kusado-chô
- Fukuyama - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/JA/11/Fukuyama.html
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
- Kusado-sengen - Uryû (2003: 240)
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Approx., Lat 34.4833 Long 133.3667 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/JA/11/Fukuyama.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Mahayana
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
- Shingon sect, Daikakuji sub-sect - Uryû (2003: 240)
- Shingon sect, Ritsu school - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myōōin,_Hiroshima
11. Date-early
- Founded 807 by Kukai as Jôfukuji - Uryû (2003: 240)
MBM chrono-tag 0800-32c - tmciolek 27 Jan 2014
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
- The main hall was built in 1321, and the 5-story pagoda was built in 1348 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myōōin,_Hiroshima
13. Date-late
- Ca. 1655: Mizuno Katsusada, leader of the Fukuyama domain, merged Jôkakuji with a nearby Myôô’in Enkôji, renaming it Chûdôsan Enkôji Myôô’in. Until the flood of 1673, the temple prospered in the Edo period as the Mizuno clan temple with its own “town:” Kusado-sengen - Uryû (2003: 240)
- Under the Mizuno clan, the temple’s religious affiliation changed from the Ritsu school to Daikakuji school - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myōōin,_Hiroshima
MBM chrono-tag 1200=> - tmciolek 27 Jan 2014
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
- It is the eighth temple of the 33-temple Shingon pilgrimage - http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/明王院_(福山市)
15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
- Documents, architecture
16. Additional notes
- [missing data] (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
- [missing data]
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