Hoanji Temple

Said to have been built during Emperor Suiko's reign (593–628) in what is now Shigino, Joto Ward, Osaka City, taking its mountain name 'Shigisan' from the place and its temple name 'Hoanji' from its mission to spread Buddhist teaching. It's said to have once served as the shrine-temple of Ikukunitama Shrine, moving to that shrine's current site when Hideyoshi built his castle, and received a 300-koku land grant from the Tokugawa shogunate, earning deep devotion from successive Osaka castle governors. Its lands were confiscated during the Meiji-era anti-Buddhist purge, and though chief priest Tatsuei rebuilt it at its present site in 1879, misfortune struck again when the March 1945 air raids burned the halls to ashes. Fortunately, its statues of Shokannon and Kangiten survived the fire, and priest Tatsue restored and rebuilt the temple to what stands today.