Zuiganji Temple
瑞巌寺
A famous Rinzai Zen temple rebuilt by Date Masamune. Its main hall and kuri (kitchen) are National Treasures, and the rock-cut caves along its approach preserve traces of medieval ascetic practice.
Zuiganji is said to have grown out of Enpuku-ji, founded in 828 by the monk Ennin (Jikaku Daishi), and later became a Rinzai Zen temple. From 1604 to 1609, Date Masamune gathered timber and craftsmen from Kumano in Kii Province and spent five years rebuilding the temple as the Date family's ancestral temple. The main hall and the kuri (kitchen and temple office) are both National Treasures. Inside the main hall, gold-leaf wall paintings by Kano school artists and intricate carvings reflect the grandeur of the Momoyama style. Along the approach, beneath tall cedars, the cliffs hold many carved caves and memorial stupas, relics of medieval ascetic practitioners, which give the site a deep, quiet atmosphere. The Seiryu-den (treasure hall) displays a statue of Date Masamune and other artifacts. Next door, Entsu-in enshrines Date Masamune's grandson Mitsumune and is famous for its moss garden and its autumn foliage illuminations. Adult admission is about ¥700. Hours vary by season, but are usually 8:30–16:00 or 17:00. Access: about a 7-minute walk from JR Matsushima-kaigan Station. Combine it with the bay cruise and Godaido for a half-day tour.
Opening hours
08:30–17:00 (closes earlier in some seasons)
Nearby sights
- Entsu-in Temple
- Kanrantei Tea House
- Matsushima Bay Cruise
- Godaido Hall
- Matsushima Fish Market
- Ojima Island
- Saigyo Modoshi no Matsu Park
- Fukuurajima Island