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HistoryZuigan-ji Temple

This is an old temple of the Tendai sect, built by the 6th-7th century Prince Shotoku, who had it built by a Korean priest, Ebin. It was later restored by the Japanese priest Gyokin, and the temple is classified together with Shoshazan Engyo-ji Temple.
According to temple legend, the temple was originally a part of the Hosso sect of Buddhism, but became a member of the Tendai sect in 834.
Historically and today, Zuigan-ji has been a place of worship important for believers, and it was at the time a large temple complex of 30 buildings on the mountain.
The temple was attacked and burned down by the fuedal lord Bessho Nagaharu of Miki in 1573, but it was reconstructed by warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1574, and the present main hall was built by Sakakibara Tadatsugu, lord of Himeji Castle.
Zuigan-ji Temple's principal object of worship is a wooden statue of Yakushinyorai, the medicine buddha (designated a cultural property by Hyogo Prefecture), and, flanking it, the standing wooden statue of the deity Bishamonten, is a nationally-designated important cultural property.
The Main Hall, Scripture House, Commemorative Founding Hall are also nationally-designated important cultural properties.