Enkaku-ji (Okinawa)

This temple was founded in 1494 by King Shō Shin (r. 1477–1526), the first abbot being Kaiin Shōko (), to pray for the repose of his father, King Shō En. Kaiin Shōko, who first introduced Rinzai Buddhism to the Ryūkyū islands from Nanzen-ji in Kyoto, but the temple itself was modeled after Engaku-ji in Kamakura. It was a full Shichidō garan and later expanded outside its original precincts with the Pond and Bridge were constructed outside the temple gate, and the Pond and sutra hall (later the Hall) built in front of the temple. The temple bell () was cast in Suō Province (present-day Hofu, Yamaguchi). It was made in 1495 and is engraved with the name "Yamato Akihide, Blacksmith and Carpenter," indicating that the temple had connections with the Ōuchi clan, who ruled Suō at the time.The temple prospered under the support of the Second Shō Dynasty, and held an extremely important position in the history of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Ryūkyūan kings would visit , Tennō-ji and Tenkai-ji after their ( and investiture. The Pond was used as a venue for banquets for Chinese envoys visiting for the investure ceremonies of Ryūkyū kings. Many of the temple's structures, including the , Gate, and Hōjō (abbot's quarters), were designated National Treasures in 1933. However, all but the Bridge were destroyed during the 1945 Battle of Okinawa in World War II. After the war, the site was used to build faculty housing for the University of the Ryukyus in 1948, and the university's grounds around 1965. Remaining structures, such as foundations and stone pavements, were destroyed or buried underground. The (general gate) and Bridge were reconstructed in 1968 and the pond repaired. The University of the Ryukyus was relocated in 1984, and work is underway to fully uncover and restore the remains. The remaining grounds, excluding the former University of the Ryukyus site, are now part of the Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts. The government of Okinawa Prefecture began plans to reconstruct its in 2014. However, the project was repeatedly delayed, partly due to a lack of accurate historical records, and is now scheduled for completion in 2027. Efforts are also underway to restore the two Niō statues once housed in the gate, only fragments of which remain. once housed portrait paintings of the kings of the Second Shō Dynasty. With the end of the Ryūkyū Kingdom in the Meiji period, these were moved to Nakagusuku Palace. However, they were all lost during the Battle of Okinawa. Images remain in black-and-white photographs taken before the war, and are currently on display at Shuri Castle. ==Cultural Properties==

National Important Cultural Properties • , The Second Shō dynasty period (1498); made by Chinese stonemasons. The approach paths in front and behind the bridge, as well as the stonework and stone paving around the pond, are also designated as important cultural properties. • , The Second Shō dynasty period (1502); In order to store the Square Scroll of Buddhist Sutras that were given as a gift from Korea, Pond was dug in front of , and an island was constructed where a Kyōzō sutra storehouse was built. The bridge that spanned this island is Tennyōbashi, which was then called Kanrenkyō. It is a single stone arch bridge with a balustrade, with a raised floor above the central arch, and takes the form of a camel-back bridge common in southern China. • , The Second Shō dynasty period (1495, 1495, 1697 ); has three bells, all of which have Chinese era dates, but are in the Japanese style and were clearly cast in Japan. Okinawa prefecture Designated Tangible Cultural Properties • , The Second Shō dynasty period(1498); Niōmon-style gate • , The Second Shō dynasty period(1498); The diabase used for the railings is imported from China, and the main pillars are decorated with small lion carvings. ==See also==