AreaMatsushima Bay
Entsuin Temple
円通院 | Entsuin Temple
Peaceful gardens honor a fallen young samurai
Photo by Timur Kalininsky
AreaMatsushima Bay
円通院 | Entsuin Temple
Peaceful gardens honor a fallen young samurai
Photo by Timur Kalininsky
Photo by Roger Smith
Photo by Roger Smith
Photo by Engkarat Techapanurak
Entsuin Temple is rich with stories from Matsushima’s samurai past. It was founded in 1647 to honor Mitsumune Date, who had been in line to become the third ruler of Sendai. Mitsumune was said to have excelled at his studies and had the potential to be as great a ruler as his grandfather, the legendary samurai Masamune Date. However, he died suddenly at age nineteen and never fulfilled his destiny. His father Tadamune, the second ruler of Sendai, built Entsuin in his honor.
The Japanese gardens of Entsuin Temple are a peaceful oasis at the center of Matsushima’s popular waterfront area. The rock garden near the entrance symbolizes the islands of Matsushima Bay. Make your way up a weathered stairway, formed from the same soft stone as Matsushima’s islands, to a peaceful mausoleum surrounded by trees. It is dedicated to Mitsumune, who is depicted as a warrior on horseback. He is surrounded by seven statues representing the retainers who then followed their master in death.
The vibrant ornamentation on the mausoleum reflect the ambitions of an era that had come to a close. A generation earlier, the Sendai domain had sent an emissary to Rome to open up trade with Europe. They returned to Japan with artifacts including a painting of a European rose. Close inspection of the patterns on the mausoleum’s interior show familiar European symbols including crosses, hearts and spades, and a replica of the rose painting. As the national government began to ban Christianity and close Japan to the world, Sendai’s nascent international trade could not continue. The mausoleum doors with foreign imagery were closed, and the contents kept secret for centuries. Today, in honor of this unique history, Entsuin has a western rose garden.
Entsuin has activities including making Buddhist prayer bead bracelets, which is available without reservation. Near the entrance is an Enmusubi Kannon (a matchmaking deity) where visitors can write their wishes on a small doll and dedicate it to the Kannon. The grounds are also open nightly during autumn for a seasonal light-up event.
Entsuin is my favorite place in Matsushima. I enjoy the tranquil beauty of its traditional Japanese garden with its moss and picturesque pond. Its beauty changes with the seasons; fresh green in spring, flowers in summer, stunning colors in fall, and if you are lucky, a dusting of snow in winter.
WEBSITEhttp://www.entuuin.or.jp/
ADDRESS
Chonai-67 Matsushima, Matsushima-machi, Miyagi-gun, Miyagi-ken 981-0213
ACCESS BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
5-min. walk from Matsushimakaigan Station (Senseki Line)
ADMISSION
¥300 adults, ¥150 high school students, ¥100 junior high & elementary school students
CREDIT CARDS
Not accepted
LANGUAGES
Limited English
HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE
No
HOURS
April–late Oct 8:30–17:00, late Oct–Nov 8:30–16:30, Dec–March: 9:00–16:00
CLOSED DAYS
None
PHONE
022-354-3206