Tōrin-in (東林院, Tōrin-in, East Woods Cloister) is a sub-temple of the temple complex of Myōshin-ji in Kyoto, Japan. It is affiliated with the Myōshin-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

Name

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The temple is named for Donglin Temple (simplified Chinese: 东林寺; traditional Chinese: 東林寺; pinyin: Dōnglínsì) at the base of Mountain Lu near Jiujiang in China.

Due to a famous 300-year-old sal tree on the grounds, it is colloquially known as the Sal Tree Temple (沙羅双樹の寺, sarasōju-no-tera). A festival is held every June to celebrate the sal tree and its flowers.

History

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The temple was founded in 1531 in Kamigyō-ku as a family temple for the Hosokawa clan, and named Sanyū-in (三友院). In 1556, it passed to the Yamana clan, whose family temple it remains to this day, and was moved to its current location within Myōshin-ji and renamed to Tōrin-in.

Visiting

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The temple is not generally open to walk-up visitors, but is open year-round for shukubō (monastery lodging) and shōjin-ryōri (devotional cuisine). The current head priest, Nishikawa Genbō (西川玄房), is a researcher of devotional cuisine. A class on devotional cuisine is held every Tuesday.

The temple holds three annual events which are open to the public:

  • Celebrate the New Year with adzuki bean gruel (小豆粥で初春を祝う会, azuki-gayu de shoshun wo iwau kai) – second half of January, from January 15, celebrating koshōgatsu (小正月, Little New Year)
  • Admiration of sal tree flowers (沙羅の花を愛でる会, sara-no-hana wo mederu kai) – second half of June
  • Festival of fondness of lantern light (梵燈のあかりに親しむ会, Bontō-no-akari ni shitashimu kai) – early/mid-October
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35°01′22″N 135°43′20″E / 35.022878°N 135.722320°E / 35.022878; 135.722320