Kitain Temple
The history of Kitain is thought to have begun when the monk Ennin
founded Muryoju Temple in 830 A.D. Muryoju is another name for the
Amitabha Buddha (Buddha of Unending Life) the main object of worship
at the Temple. A Buddhist temple of the Tendai Sect, is was divided
into three parts: Kitain (North Temple) , Nakain (Middle Temple),
and Minamiin (South Temple).
Burned down during fighting in 1205, the temple was rebuilt in 1296
by the monk Sonkai. Emperor Gofushimi made it head of the Tendai
Sect temples in east Japan in 1300.
Kitain became the main temple of the three-temple complex after
Tenkai became the head monk in 1599 (a carving of him is housed
on the knoll next to the main Kitain building). and
his friendship with the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, Kitain flourished.
The ChinePreviously Nakain Temple had been the most influential.
Under Tenkai's influence se characters used to write Kitain were
changed from those meaning North Temple, which has a dark image,
to those meaning Temple of Much Happiness. Kitain is today the head
Tendai Sect temple of the kanto area. Nakain is now a separate temple,
and all that remains of Minamiin is small graveyard.
Tosyogu Shrine
Tosyogu Shrine, also on the Kitain temple grounds, was built in
1633 to honor the late shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa who had aided in
the development of kitain. However, a fire in 1638 destroyed most
of Kitain as well as the Shrine.The Shrine was rebuilt in 1640
under orders of the third Tokugawa Shogun Iemitsu, the architecture
of which closely resembles that of the main Tosyogu Shrine at
Nikko.
Remains of Edo Castle
 To
help rebuild Kitain, Shogun Iemitsu orderd several buildings to
be moved from Edo Castle (now the site of the Imperial Palace
in Tokyo) to Kawagoe.These buildings today are protected as national
treasures, and house Kitain's museum. They are all that remain
of the builgings of Edo Castle because of the damage Tokyo suffered
during the Great Earthquake of 1923 and World War II. One of the
most ornate rooms, with a decorative floral ceiling, is thought
to be the room where Shogun Iemitsu was born. Other rooms belonged
to the powerful Kasuga no Tsubone who was Iemitsu's nursemaid
and later was in charge of the large women's quarters at Edo Castle.
 500
Statues of Rakan
There are actually 540 of these statues representing the disciples
of Buddha. They were carved between 1782 and 1825 with no two
statues alike. It is said that if you feel among the statues in
the dead of night you will find one that is warm. Mark it, come
back during the day, and you will see it is the statue most resembling
yourself.
Daimyo Graves
Behind the main building of Kitain are graves of five of the feudal
lords who ruled the Kawagoe domain during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Daruma Festival
 On
January 3 of every year, purification ceremonies are held in honor
of the monk Sonkai, who reestablished Kitain in 1292. This is
also the day the Daruma Doll Festival is held, kawagoe's second
biggest festival after the Kawagoe Festival (October). Dealers
selling daruma dolls, stylizations of Bodhidharma who founded
Zen Buddhism in China during the sixth century, flood the temple
grounds and surrounding streets with their wares. When this doll
is bought, one of the pupils is painted in and a wish is made.
The other pupil is painted in if one's wish is realized.
Shokunin Tsukushie
These 24 scenes of craftsman at work were painted in the early
1600's by Masanobu Kano who founded the Kano School of painting.
The pictures are Important National Treasures.
Seven Mysteries of Kitain
One of the seven mysteries concerns why bells should not be rung
on the grounds of kitain. Other tales talk of dragons, foxes,
and beautiful women.
 Gardens
Kitain has several gardens both inside and outside the museum
area. Planted with plum,cherry, and maple trees, plus a variety
of flowers, particularly hydrangeas and azaleas,the gardens change
their faces thoughout the year.
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