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Hōjūjidono

Buddhist temple of the Tendai sect dedicated to Acala in Higashiyama-ku, Japan

Architectural plans, a scale model, maps and brass measuring instruments
Places and architectureInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionApr 19, 2026
Entity authorityQ1072965
Source-derived summary

The Hōjūjidono (法住寺殿) was a Buddhist temple in Kyoto which was, for a time, the home of the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

History

The temple was originally built and founded, as "Hōjūji", by Fujiwara Tamemitsu in 988. However, it was destroyed in 1032.

In 1158, Emperor Shirakawa II abdicated in favor of his son Prince Morihito (Emperor Nijō) and made the Hōjūjiden his home, entering cloistered rule. However, in 1183, he was informed by Minamoto no Yukiie that Minamoto no Yoshinaka intended to kidnap him, form a new government to the north, and use his possession of the cloistered emperor to justify his rule. The emperor informed the Minamoto brothers Yoshitsune and Noriyori in turn, and asked for their aid in stopping Yoshinaka. But they failed; Yoshinaka seized Kyoto in December 1183.

Then, the Siege of Hōjūjidono resulted in 1184. Yoshinaka set fire to the buildings, slaughtered many of the occupants, and seized the cloistered emperor.

The temple has since been rebuilt, and now houses Shirakawa's tomb.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Hōjūjidono” as buddhist temple of the Tendai sect dedicated to Acala in Higashiyama-ku, Japan. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Hōjūjidono, Buddhist and temple.

Editorial reviewA valuable geographic starting point for tracing changing names, boundaries, uses and administrative responsibility. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1032, 1158, 1183, 1184—that can be checked directly. The linked authority record independently contributes the date 0988. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Hōjūjidono, Buddhist and temple providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Hōjūjidono”, the useful work is to connect “buddhist temple of the Tendai sect dedicated to Acala in Higashiyama-ku, Japan” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1072965. Authority coordinates are 34.988, 135.773. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1032, 1158, 1183 and 1184.

Critical limits

Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.

Best used for
  • Historic place names
  • Jurisdictional context
  • Routes into maps and plans
Verify next

Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Hōjūjidono”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Hōjūjidono primary sources, Hōjūjidono archive and Hōjūjidono research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Hōjūjidono”?
  2. Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
  3. Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Hōjūjidono” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.