Seigantoji Temple in Kumano, Wakayama Prefecture has two faces. One is a part of the World Heritage, “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range”. The other one is the 1st temple of Saigoku 33 Kannon.
We don’t know when Seigantoji Temple was established same as Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine. Later, religious faith of Kumano Sanzan was spread to imperial family and nobles in Heian period. From the medieval period to the modern period in Japan, because of syncretization of Shinto with Buddhism, Seigantoji Temple was integrated with Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine. This place became a large place of training seminaries for mountaineering asceticism with seven temples and 36 priest residential quarters attached to the Buddhist temples.
Cloistered Emperor Kazan was leading a secluded life in the temple for three years and decided this temple as the 1st temple of Saigoku 33 Kannon temples in western Japan.
During the Meiji period, syncretization of Shinto with Buddhism was abolished. Buddha halls in Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine and in Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine were broken down, but the Nyoirindo hall in Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine was kept as is since Nyoirindo hall is the 1st temple of 33 Kannon temples in western Japan.
In 1874, the temple became independent of Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine as a Tendai Sect temple with support of old Buddhists and named as Seigantoji Temple.
It is interesting that Seigantoji Temple and Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine was integrated in the past. We can recognize it with their location next to each other.
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