Seiganji Temple

Temples or shrines are dotted in the Shinkyogoku mall full of tourists and school excursion students. This Seiganji temple stands in the opposite of a triangular open space between Sanjyo and Shijo streets. I found a big Amitabha image was enshrined in the main hall of this Buddhist temple when I peeped out from the outside of the cinnabar gate. Because the image was outstanding very much, I decided to enter inside. Though I went many times in this Shinkyogoku Street, I entered this temple for the first time.
It is the very old temple which was built in the Nara era (in 667), but the original image of Amitabha was burnt down by fire and the one reposed here was handed over by a different Shinto shrine. Even from the distant, it looked so big, but I watched the image closely and found it was also a big size.
And another characteristic of this temple is the place where famous female persons passed away. Seishonagon, a famous essayist and Izumi Shikibu, a good looking Waka poet of the Heian period cut their hairs and entered the Buddhist world. Both of them became nuns, recited Buddhist chants every day and finally died here. Another woman, called Matsunomaru. I knew the existence of this woman for the first time here. This woman is a concubine of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. In the removal of this temple, she contributed to the rebuilding of Buddhist halls. So this temple has a deep relationship with women.
By the way, I hope the panel to fit a face will be taken away from the neighborhood of entrance. Because it is a holy temple and is not a sightseeing spot here.