Minamoto no Yoritomo, the shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate (from 1192 to 1333), was a devout believer in Zenkoji and its spiritual importance. Yoritomo was the one who ordered the rebuilding of Zenkoji after a fire destroyed it. There are many anecdotes about Yoritomo’s visits to Zenkoji, but we’ll share the story from here at Jūnenji Temple.
Yoritomo was on his way to visit Zenkoji when he passed the town in front of the temple, and suddenly he heard a beautiful melody and smelled a sweet scent that he couldn’t locate. When he looked up, he saw purple clouds passing through the west and a bright light that seemed to be getting closer and closer. He focused his gaze on the bright light, and that’s when he saw Amitabha standing right there in front of him.
Yoritomo and his servants got off their horses and started praying. Amitabha started chanting the Nembutsu and Yoritomo and his men followed suit. After repeating it ten times, Amitabha and his light suddenly disappeared, and it was as if nothing had happened.
For a while, Yoritomo was too shocked to move. He decided to turn back and head home, thinking “Wow. That was Amitabha himself greeting me.” He decided to build Jūnenji Temple here to pay his respects to Amitabha and his encounter. The events in this story are the reason why the characters for “purple cloud” and “Yoritomo” are engraved on the pillar at the temple's entrance.