智恩院

About this photo

This photo shows people coming and going in front of the Miedo (Founder's Hall) at Chionin in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. It appears in Kyoto Meisho (Famous Sights of Kyoto), published in 1907 (Meiji 40). The title writes the temple's name with a different first character from the one used today. Some of the people are holding umbrellas.

Chionin is the head temple of the Jodo (Pure Land) school of Buddhism and stands on a site connected with its founder, Honen. The Miedo was rebuilt in 1639 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun, and it enshrines a portrait (miei) of Honen. Under the eaves at the front lies an umbrella worn down to its bare frame. This is the "Forgotten Umbrella," one of the Seven Wonders of Chionin. Legend says it was left there either by the master craftsman Hidari Jingoro, to ward off evil, or by a white fox, as thanks. Since an umbrella is linked to rain, and so to water, it is believed to protect the temple from fire.

The Miedo was designated a National Treasure in 2002 (Heisei 14). After a major restoration, a ceremony celebrating its completion was held in 2020 (Reiwa 2). The Forgotten Umbrella can still be seen under the eaves.

Glossary