Date Tsunamune (1640–1710) built this ornate mausoleum in 1660 for his grandmother Megohime (1568–1653), the wife of Date Masamune (1567–1636), feudal lord of the Sendai domain and founder of Zuiganji. Yotokuin is the Buddhist name posthumously given to Megohime. Although her husband’s grave is in Sendai, according to one local story, Megohime requested that her remains be buried near the holy sites of Matsushima so that she might more quickly reach paradise and reunite with Masamune.
The mausoleum is coated in black lacquer which contrasts beautifully with its gold fittings and polychrome painted details. Grapes—like the ones depicted on the door—were commonly associated with women at the time when the mausoleum was built. The structure was restored over a three-year period beginning in 2006.