Sendai Tourism: Kakuhanji Temple

#0 yen travel November This is the family temple of Masamune's father, Terumune, and within the grounds remain the grave of his birth mother, Hoshun'in Yoshihime, and a memorial tower for his third son, Muneyo. It is one of the castle towns of Sendai, and occupies the western half of the Daihara Terrace that divides the northern edge. The former Kitayama-cho (currently Kitayama, Aoba Ward, and other areas) is a temple town that was established at the same time as the castle town was established. At the end of Kimachi-dori, which runs north from Kitazaimoku-cho in the eastern part of the town, is Toyama Kakuhan-ji, a temple whose first founder was Toraya Osho of Sukefuku-ji, in order to pray for the soul of Masamune's father, Terumune, who was killed in battle. The sub-temples Ikoku-in, the pavilion of Endo Yamashiro Motonobu, who died as a martyr to Terumune, Hofuku-an, the pavilion of Suda Hoki, and Sakugetsu-an, the pavilion of Babaemon, were built around the middle of the approach to the temple, but they were abandoned around the time of the Meiji Restoration. Additionally, a 250-year-old Hiyoku-hiba tree has been planted to the left of the main hall on the temple grounds, and has been designated as a preserved tree by the city of Sendai.