Daikaku-ji Temple (Former Saga Palace)

Also known as Sagasan, this is the head temple of the Daikaku-ji School of Shingon Buddhism.
This temple was originally part of the Saga-in Detached Palace of Emperor Saga, who would retire here later. This section was turned into a temple in 876, after the emperor’s death in 842, and named Daikaku-ji. After a period being left abandoned, a succession of cloistered emperors lived here, starting in 1268 with Go-Saga, and followed by Kameyama, and Go-Uda. They restored the temple, and established the Daikakuji lineage of emperors, which had clashes with the Jimyoin lineage over succession to the throne. In 1333, Emperor Go-Daigo managed to overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate in the Kenmu Restoration, but clashed with Ashikaga Takauji, leading to the Northern and Southern Courts Period. This conflict between the two imperial branches was finally settled in 1392.
The Shinden Hall was relocated here from the imperial palace, where it had been the residence of Emperor Go-Mizuno’o’s empress consort, Tokugawa Masako. The interior is decorated with gorgeous screen door paintings by Kano Sanraku, featuring peonies, pink and white plum blossoms, and more. Other buildings in the grounds include the Founders’ Hall (Mie-do), the Godai-do,Reimei-den, Yasui-do, Shoshin-den, and kitchen and living quarters. These still reflect the magnificent atmosphere of the old imperial palace in this temple, one with strong imperial connections and home to a Heart Sutra sealed by imperial order.
Kyoto City