Rinzai Enkaku-ji School Highest Mountain Kankou Zen Temple

The principal object of Worship: The Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni)

Roughly 600 years before now was the Muromachi Period. In the year 1410 (17th year of the Oei era), it is said that Kakuo Soden, son of the Kanto region shogun deputy Uesugi Norimasa, initiated contact with Monk Fukako Enkou and invited him to begin founding a temple together.

Thereafter, as the Uesugi family lineage's temple it flourished. Through the Kamakura Shogunate fourth court leader of the Ueda Nagao lineage Ashikaga Mochiuji's deep faith, in 1436 (the 8th year of the Eikyou era), they received a letter through the temple and shrine authority with the shogun's scarlet seal containing a donation of 120 kanmon in eiraku (the Chinese currency at the time). Nagao Fusakage and Uesugi Fusasada used this to construct a large Buddhist temple, receiving many donations and developing an influential reputation.

However, after the Sengoku period arrived, in the year 1512 (the 9th year of the Eisho era), the Eisho Rebellion occurred. Later, in 1578 (the 6th year of the Tensho era), dispute over the Uesugi family headship inheritance sparked Otate no Ran, a battle the temple was caught up in leading to its deterioration.

In the year 1600 (the 5th year of the Keicho era), after the battle of Sekigahara, the Uesugi family had 1.2 million koku (volume of rice; approximately 180 liters) taken. From which, 300,000 koku had been transferred to Yonezawa, and under the orders of Kagekatsu Uesugi, the temple Kankouan was erected once more with the 32nd high priest Tougan appointed as its chief priest.

After the 4th great fire to damage the temple in the year 1629 (the 6th year of the Kanei era), the deteriorating temple's luck had finally reached its end. However, per order of Tsunakatsu, a feudal lord in Echigo who lamented the ruin of Kankouan, the temple was rebuilt in its current location in Echigo. With high priest Mangen becoming its 37th chief priest, at last the temple's good fortune was restored. Through a 100,000 koku gift from the Tokugawa Shogunate, the special temple prospered as the Uesugi family lineage temple.

At the same time ascetic monks spread the name of Kankouan as the one great Rinzai Zen place of worship in the Koshin'etsu region (Nagano, Niigata, and Yamanashi prefectures) for over 300 individuals, turning out lots of Zen knowledge and sending many noteworthy and high priests into the world.