Negoroji monastery, (in) Iwade, Wakayama Prefecture, JP

Raw data

“The Negoro-ji (根来寺) complex of Buddhist temples stands on the side of, and is surrounded by, the sacred peaks of the Katsuragi Mountains which dominate the horizon at the northern end of the city of Iwade, Wakayama in Japan … . After settling at Negoro-ji, Kōgyō-Daishi [= Kakuban (覚鑁/覺鑁; 1095–1143) - tmciolek] laid out his far-sighted plans and initiated the construction of the Enmyō-ji and Jingū-ji within the Negoro-ji temple grounds. Even after his death, in 1143, the Negoro-ji complex was influential and prosperous as the head seminary for Shingi sect of Shingon Buddhism for another 200 years or so. During the height of its influence in the late Muromachi period about 2700 temples stood on the mountainside in the spacious grounds of Negoro-ji.”

“Negoro-ji” -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negoro-ji

Portuguese missionary Luis Fróis (1532-1597) described the splendor and power of Negoroji in his History of Japan, but not long after, all but 23 of its buildings were destroyed during warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s invasion of Kii Province - http://www.negoroji.org/history/index.html

A site-plan of Negoroji - http://www.negoroji.org/seeing/index.html

Negoroji's tahōtō (stupa/pagoda) dates from 1492-1554 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahōtō

Input by: Lizbeth H. Piel, August 01, 2012

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 29 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.

Location of Negoroji monastery, JP.

General location of the Negoroji monastery, JP.
Lat 34.2872 Long 135.3165
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2012.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.2872+135.3165+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Negoroji%20monastery,%20JP)&ll=34.2872,135.3165&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en

Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Negoroji 根来寺. Alternative English spelling: Negoro-ji

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • Japan: Wakayama Prefecture

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 34.2872 Long 135.3165 - visual identification of the site in maps and satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 2 Aug 2012.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries

  • [missing data]

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

7. The settlement's alternative/historical names

  • Wakayama was known as Kishû (Kii province) - Uryû (2003: 238)

8. The settlement's coordinates

9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • Mahayana

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • Shingon, headquarters of the Shingi sub-sect

11. Date-early

MBM chrono-tag 1067-99c - tmciolek 29 Jan 2014
1067-99c 1100-32c 1133-66c 1167-99c 1200=> dated-el

12. Date-intermediate

  • 1130: Shingon monk Kakuban (Kôgyô Daishshi) and his disciples settled at Neogoroji after leaving from Koyazan following a dispute -Uryû (2003: 238)
  • Retired Emperor Toba donated the estate, known as Ichijō-zan Daidenpon Negoro-ji, to Kôgyô Daishi -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negoro-ji

13. Date-late

  • Mid-17th century: Tokugawa Yorinobu (1602-1671), chief of the Kii branch of the Tokugawa clan, reconstructed the temple grounds, which had been burned to the ground by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Siege of Negoroji - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negoro-ji

MBM chrono-tag 1200=> - tmciolek 29 Jan 2014

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • Nogoroji was of the Koyasan network of Shingon temples until after the death of Kakuban, when the monastery became the headquarters of the Shingi sub-sect -Uryû (2003: 238).
  • On Kakuban’s death in 1143, most followers reverted to Koyazan, but the Shingi branch was revived in 1248 by high priest Raiyû and his disciples who broke off from Koyazan - http://www.negoroji.org/history/index.html

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • Documents, architecture

16. Additional notes

  • At its height during the Muromachi period (ca. 1337-1573), the Negoroji monastery complex included 2700 temples, including Enmyō-ji and Jingū-ji. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negoro-ji

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

  • [missing data]

end of page

1067-99c1100-32c1133-66c1167-99c1200=>200mdated-eleast-asiajapannplacesect.shingontrad.mahayanaven.ennogyojaven.kakuban
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