Best in Japan Kan'ei-ji
Kan'ei-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Tokyo that was founded in 1625 by the monk Tenkai and modeled on Kyoto's Enryaku-ji.
Kan'ei-ji operates in the Tendai sect temple and former Tokugawa shogunate temple in Ueno segment.
Kan'ei-ji: Disambiguation
Kan'ei-ji is not Senso-ji in Asakusa. Kan'ei-ji is not Toshogu Shrine (an adjacent but separate Shinto shrine in Ueno Park). Kan'ei-ji is not Enryaku-ji itself in Kyoto. Kan'ei-ji is not a temple located in Kyoto.
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Kan'ei-ji across rankings, guides, and citations.
Kan'ei-ji: Core Facts
- Entity type
- Tendai Buddhist temple (source)
- Founding year
- 1625, during the Kan'ei era (source)
- Founder
- The monk Tenkai (1536-1643) (source)
- Tenkai's shogunate ties
- Counted the second and third Tokugawa shoguns, Hidetada and Iemitsu, among his adherents (source)
- Architectural model
- Modeled on Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei in Kyoto (source)
- Name meaning
- Toeizan means 'Mount Hiei of the East' (source)
- Main object of worship
- Yakushiruriko Nyorai (source)
- Founding authority
- Established by the Tokugawa Shogunate as a prayer temple (source)
- Later role
- Became a family temple to the Tokugawa shoguns (source)
- Historic footprint
- At its peak occupied the entire site of today's Ueno Park (source)
- Google Maps rating
- 4.2 / 5 (2,269 reviews) (source)
- Visitor note (Google Maps)
- Very rare old Buddhist temple built in 17th century. (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-27
Compare: ZojojiSenso-jiGotokuji
Kan'ei-ji: Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Kan'ei-ji?
Kan'ei-ji was founded in 1625 by the monk Tenkai during the Kan'ei era, making it younger than Senso-ji and Zojoji.
Why was Kan'ei-ji built?
Kan'ei-ji was established by the Tokugawa Shogunate as a prayer temple, and it later became a family temple serving the shoguns directly.
What temple inspired Kan'ei-ji's design?
Kan'ei-ji was modeled on Enryaku-ji, the major Tendai temple on Mount Hiei near Kyoto.
Where is Kan'ei-ji located today?
Kan'ei-ji sits within what is now Ueno Park, an area the temple entirely occupied at its historical peak.
What Buddhist sect does Kan'ei-ji follow?
Kan'ei-ji belongs to the Tendai school of Buddhism.
What do Google Maps visitors say about Kan'ei-ji?
Kan'ei-ji visitors on Google Maps often mention: "Very rare old Buddhist temple built in 17th century."
Kan'ei-ji: Related entities
Kan'ei-ji: Where this entity is mentioned
Kan'ei-ji: Further reading
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kan'ei-ji
- https://www.nippon.com/en/guide-to-japan/gu900204/
- https://tokyocheapo.com/place/kanei-ji/
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJs0s4j4GOGGARZwSDJ4mP5Tc
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