Kōgaku ji

Kōgaku-ji (向嶽寺), originally Kōgaku-an, is one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen, founded in 1380 by Bassui Tokushō. The temple is located in southern Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan near Mount Fuji. Due to its great popularity under the leadership of Bassui, the Emperor Go-Kameyama of the late 14th century declared it "a temple to pray for the nation" (Head Temples - Kōgaku-ji). The name was changed to Kōgaku-ji in the 16th century through the petitioning of General Takeda Shingen. In 1782 much of the original temple complex was destroyed in a fire, and after it was declared the head temple of the Kogaku-ji branch it was fully restored in 1908. Kōgaku-ji governs eight sub-temples and fifty temple affiliates.