Yakushido Hall at Tenneiji Temple
Established in 1365, Tenneiji Temple belongs to the Guchu school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. Its founder, Guchu Shukyu (1323–1409), trained under monks in Kyoto and China before becoming the head monk at Tenneiji.
Yakushido Hall (dedicated to the Buddha Yakushi, buddha of medicine and healing) was rebuilt in 1794 after a devastating fire. It is one of the few temple buildings that survived a subsequent fire in 1961. The tiled roof later sustained damage from a heavy snowstorm, and the tiles were replaced with wooden shingles, which restored the roof to its original appearance. The ceiling painting of a dragon is the original, and was done by Hara Zaichu (1750–1837), the first in a family of renowned painters. The statue of the Buddha Yakushi enshrined in the reliquary has been dated to the Heian period (794–1185), and is withheld from public view. The hall itself is a designated Cultural Property of Kyoto Prefecture.
The hexagonal Kaisando Hall, which is located next to Yakushido Hall, enshrines the temple’s founder. It is also a designated Cultural Property. Unlike most kaisando halls, which venerate one person, this hall has two statues: one of Guchu Shukyu, and one of the monk who trained him in China, Shikkyu Keiryo (Jixiu Qiliao; 1269–1351).