Zuiganji Temple in Matsushima

Zuiganji Temple, officially named 'Matsushima Seiryu-zan Zuigan Enpuku Zenji,' is a Zen Buddhist temple currently affiliated with the Myoshinji branch of the Rinzai sect. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Date Masamune, who established his government in Sendai, actively promoted the construction of shrines and temples to serve as spiritual anchors for his people, alongside the construction of Sendai Castle. Among these efforts, he particularly focused on the restoration of Enpukuji Temple, which had declined during the Sengoku period. Masamune himself laid out the plans for the project, sourcing materials from Kumano in Kishu, which had been regarded as a 'land of paradise' since the Heian period, and inviting 130 master craftsmen from the Kinai region. His dedication to the project is evident. Due to its significance as a rare example of Momoyama art, the main hall (including the attached Onari Genkan) was designated a National Treasure in 1953, and the corridor connecting the kuri (priest's quarters) and the main hall was designated a National Treasure in 1959.