Being originated in 1415, this temple was renamed Denzuin in 1603. Denzuin was the Buddhist name of the mother of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of Tokugawa shogunate system. She died in Kyoto in 1602 and was buried in this temple the next year. This temple was renamed after her Buddhist name when she was buried here, and was eventually designated as the family temple of Tokugawa shogun's family together with Zojoji temple and Kaneiji temple. Thanks to the considerate support by the Tokugawa family, this had become one of the leading Buddhist temples in Edo, present Tokyo. Many important females and male children of the Tokugawa family are sleeping here. Most buildings were reduced to ashes during the Second World War though, all of them have since been reconstructed.
Licensed tour guide, travel consultant,
Masahisa Takaki
