Higashi Hongan-ji Temple Live Cam

The Genesis of Higashi Hongan-ji

The origins of Higashi Hongan-ji trace back to the early 17th century, under the patronage of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1602, the temple complex was officially dedicated as the Eastern Branch (Higashi) of the Hongan-ji institution, following a schism within the Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land) sect. This division resulted from political maneuvering during the Azuchi-Momoyama and early Edo periods, when the shogunate sought to balance religious influence. While the original Hongan-ji complex, later known as Nishi Hongan-ji, remained in its western Kyoto location, Higashi Hongan-ji was established to serve as a counterbalance to Western Hongan-ji’s established power and wealth.