is a Rinzai Buddhist temple

Temple

A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

 in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture

Hyogo Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...

 (formerly Harima province

Harima Province

or Banshu was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tamba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji....

).

History

With the patronage of the Akamatsu clan

Akamatsu clan

The was a Japanese samurai family of direct descent from Minamoto no Morifusa. They were prominent shugo-daimyō in Harima during the Sengoku period.-Select members of the clan:* Akamatsu Norimura .* Akamatsu Norisuke ....

, Sesson Yūbai

Sesson Yubai

was a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk of the Rinzai sect. This priest and poet who is considered "the first important poet of the Five Mountains.-In China:...

 was able to become the founder of a number of provincial Buddhist temple-monasteries, including Hōrin-ji in Harima.

Hōrin-ji was ranked among the provincial jissatsu by the Muromachi shogunate, which encouraged its shugo vassals to found monasteries in their domains.

Prominent among Yūbai's followers were Akamatsu Norimura

Akamatsu Norimura

was a Japanese samurai and clan leader of the Muromachi period.-Shugo:Norimura served as the shugo of Harima Province, awarded in 1336 after switching his support to the Ashikaga side from the Emperor Go-Daigo....

 (1277-1350) and his son Akamatsu Norisuke (1314-1371).

See also

• For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
  Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
  This is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...
  
  .