Rinno-ji Temple

SENDAI

Rinno-ji Temple was founded by the 11th generation Date Mochimune, with Taian Bonshu Osho serving as the first head priest, in 1441, the first year of the Kakitsu era, in Yanagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, at the request of Zen Buddhist nun Rantei Myogyoku, the wife of Date Masamune, 9th Lord of the Date Clan.
The founding period of Rinno-ji Temple coincided with the rapid rise to power of the Date Clan, and when the main castle of the Clan was moved consecutively between Yanagawa, Nishiyama, Yonezawa, Aizu, Yonezawa, Iwadeyama, and finally Sendai, Rinno-ji was moved along with it, finally arriving in the current location of Sendai under the 9th Osho, Hisayama Koten, in 1602, the 7th year of the Keicho era under the 17th Lord Masamune. This is referred as the Six Transitions of Rinno-ji in the historical record. A wildfire burned the entire temple complex to ashes in 1876, the 9th year of the Meiji era, leaving only the Niomon Gate. Subsequently Fukutei Mugai Osho (1881-1943) began reconstruction in in 1903, the 36th year of the Meiji era, and the current main hall and Kuri building were completed in 1915, the 4th year of the Taisho period.

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More Information about Rinno-ji Temple

Street address: About SENDAI

Access

Route1

15 minutes on foot from Kita-Sendai Station on the Sendai Subway.

Route2

15 minutes on foot from Kita-Sendai Station on the JR Senzan Line.

Opening Hours: 8:00 - 17:00 (last admission at 16:30)

Closed

Website: http://www.rinno-ji.or.jp

Best season: All year

Point: A seated statue of The Buddha (Buddha Shakyamuni) (designated as a Tangible Cultural Property by Sendai City) is open for viewing by the public on the 1st and 15th of every month (a fee is required to enter the garden where it is located.)

update: Dec.16.2025