Sanmyoji

Known by the popular name Toyokawa Benzaiten, Sanmyoji Temple in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture, is said to have been founded in 702 CE, when Emperor Monmu recovered from illness through the divine power of Benzaiten while visiting Mikawa Province, and ordered the monk Kakuen to build the temple. After being destroyed by fire during the late Heian period, the temple fell into ruin. During the Oei era (1394–1428), Zen monk Mumon Gensen restored the buildings and converted the temple to the Soto school of Zen. The three-story pagoda, rebuilt in 1531, is designated a National Important Cultural Property.