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{{Short description|Historic Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name                  = Ninna-ji
| native_name           = 
| image                 = Ninna-ji's Golden Hall, front view of the Shingon Buddhist temple, Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan.jpg
| image_size            = 300px
| alt                   = 
| caption               = Golden Hall (Main Hall)
| map_type              = 
| map_size              = 
| map_alt               = 
| map_caption           = 
| location              = 33 Ōuchi Omuro, [[Ukyō-ku, Kyoto|Ukyō-ku]], [[Kyoto]], [[Kyoto Prefecture]]
| coordinates           = {{coord|35.0310|135.7138|display=inline,title|region:JP-26_type:landmark}}
| religious_affiliation = Omuro School of [[Shingon Buddhism]]
| deity                 = [[Amitābha|Amida Nyorai]] (Amitābha)
| country               = Japan
| functional_status     = 
| website               = https://ninnaji.jp/
| founded_by            = [[Emperor Uda]]
|established=888| year_completed        = 1644 (Reconstruction)
}}
[[File:Ninnaji Kyoto16s3s4592.jpg|thumb|250px|Shinden's North Garden]]
[[File:Ninnaji Temple - Kyoto (41461798344).jpg|thumb|250px|Shinden's South Garden]]
{{Nihongo|'''Ninna-ji'''|仁和寺|''Ninna-ji''}} is the head temple of the Omuro school of the [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon Sect]] of [[Buddhism]].<ref name="Ninna-ji Temple">{{cite book |title=Ninna-ji Temple |year=2009 |publisher=Benrido Co., Ltd. |location=Kyoto, Japan |page=1 }}</ref> Located in western [[Kyoto]], [[Japan]], it was first founded in [[AD]] 888 by [[Emperor Uda]], and was later reconstructed in the 17th century.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Clancy, Judith|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1083704023|title=Kyoto : city of Zen : visiting the heritage sites of Japan's ancient capital|date=February 2020|isbn=978-4-8053-1540-8|oclc=1083704023}}</ref> It is part of the [[Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].

==History==
Ninna-ji was founded in the early [[Heian period]]. In 886, [[Emperor Kōkō]] ordered the construction of the Nishiyama Goganji Temple to bless the nation and propagate Buddhist teachings, but he did not live to see its completion. Emperor Uda saw the construction to its completion in 888<ref>{{cite book |title=Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869 |last=Ponsonby-Fane |first=Richard |year=1956 |publisher=Ponsonby Memorial Society |location=University of Virginia |page=112 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kG1DAAAAYAAJ&q=Ninna-ji+888 |access-date=24 October 2010}}</ref> and named it "Ninna" after the [[regnal year]] of the late Emperor Kōkō's reign.  From 888 to 1869 it was traditional for reigning Emperors to send a son to the [[temple]] to take over as head priest when a vacancy arose.

After retiring from his throne, Emperor Uda became the first [[Monzeki]], or aristocratic priest, of Ninna-ji. From then on until the end of the [[Edo period]], the temple saw a succession of head priests of imperial lineage.

In 1467, the temple was destroyed by fire and fighting in the [[Ōnin War]]. It was rebuilt roughly 150 year later, thanks to the eldest son of [[Emperor Go-Yōzei]], Kakushin Hosshinnō, who enlisted the help of [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]], the third shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate. The resurrection coincided with the rebuilding of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto and thus received imperial funding.

The tradition of having aristocratic or persons of imperial lineage serve as chief of the temple ended with the 30th Monzeki, Junnin Hosshinnō in the late Edo period.

Most of the surviving buildings date from the 17th century, and include a five-story pagoda and an orchard of late blooming dwarf cherry trees called the Omuro cherry trees that would grow to around 2–3 meters (10 feet) in height.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://planetyze.com/en/japan/kyoto/ninna-ji-temple|title=Ninna-ji Temple - Kyoto Travel Guide {{!}} Planetyze|website=Planetyze|language=en|access-date=2017-08-16}}</ref>  The temple itself features some beautifully painted screen walls, and a beautiful walled garden.

== Buildings ==
*National Treasure of Japan
**Golden Hall
*Important Cultural Property of Japan
**Pagoda
**Kyōzō
**Niōmon
**Chūmon
**Shōrō
**Kannon-dō
**Miei-dō
**Chūmon of Miei-dō
**Kyūsho-myōjin
**Omotemon of Honbō
**Ryōkaku-tei
**Hitō-tei
*Other
**Chokushimon
**Shinden
**Reimeiden
**Kuro Shoin
**Shiro Shoin

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Ninnaji Kyoto02s3s4350.jpg|Pagoda
File:Ninnaji Kyoto09n4500.jpg|Kyōzō
File:Mie-do (Founders Hall) At Ninna-ji.JPG|Miei-dō
File:Ninnaji Kyoto25n4592.jpg|Kyūsho-myōjin
File:Ninnaji Kyoto15s4470.jpg|Interior of Shinden
File:Peacock Myōō.jpg|[[Mahamayuri]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[List of Buddhist temples in Kyoto]]
* [[List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)]]
* [[List of National Treasures of Japan (ancient documents)]]
* [[List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)]]
* [[List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)]]
* [[List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)]]
* [[List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)]]
* [[Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Kyoto]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.ninnaji.jp/ Ninna-ji official website]
* [http://damien.douxchamps.net/photo/japan/kansai/kyoto/ninna-ji/ Photos of Ninna-ji]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Ninna-ji}}

{{World Heritage Kyoto}}
{{Buddhist temples in Japan}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Buddhist temples in Kyoto]]
[[Category:Gardens in Kyoto Prefecture]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Japan]]
[[Category:National Treasures of Japan]]
[[Category:Historic Sites of Japan]]
[[Category:Important Cultural Properties of Japan]]
[[Category:9th-century establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:9th-century Buddhist temples]]
[[Category:Monzeki]]
[[Category:888 establishments]]
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in the 880s]]
[[Category:Temples of Amitābha]]