Kyoto - Myoshin-ji Temple

The Myoshinji Temple is the principal temple of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect, which has many subordinate temples.

The temple was built in 1337 on the site of an earlier residence of the Emperor Hanazono. To the west of the Buddha Hall is a belltower with a bell cast in 698. The Buddha Hall itself (Butsuden) contains a statue of Shakyamuni.

The ceiling paintings in the Lecture Hall (Hatto) are by Kano Tanyu. To the east the Gyokuho-in contains a likeness of Hanazono. To the west of the priests' lodgings are a number of smaller buildings, including the Reiun-in (also known as the Motonobu Temple), with many paintings by Kano Motonobu. The Tenkuyan Temple contains works by Kano Sanraku, while the Kaifuku-in has caricatural pictures by Kano Tanyu on the wall screens.