History of Enpuku-ji

Enpuku-ji was founded at Yatsuka-gun Noghi villege, now a part of Shimane prefecture. It's not exactly known how and when it was founded, but is said to have belong to Hosso-syu and Shingon-syu, both main sects of Japanese Buddhism. Later, Enpuku-ji received faith of Heike clan, then dominant family of Japan, and around the end of Kamakura-era (14th century) Enpuku-ji was converted to a Ji-syu temple.

In 1842, Enpuku-ji was destroyed by fire. But Bisyamonten, the principal image of the temple, was not damaged, and throughout Meiji-era (1868-1912) it received faith of Noghi Maresuke, a legendary general of Imperial Japanese Army who contributed to victory of Russo-Japanese war.

In February 1917, chief priest Chinone Satsuzen visited Isohara and preached Ji-syu. Three years later, Enpuku-ji was moved there, but the place got hit by floods several times because it positioned near Pacific Ocean.

So, dominant residents of Isohara contributed a vast land on Mt. Ogata to the temple. In 1924, the new main hall was completed, and since then Enpuku-ji has been rendering services for faithful people of Isohara.

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