Ankokuron Ji

Nichiren Shonin came to Kamakura in 1253 at the age of 31 to start missionary work. Ankokuron-ji claims that Nichiren Shonin made a hermitage on this site, and engaged in various propagation activities for over 20 years. Neighboring temples Myohoji and Choshoji also claim that his real hermitage was in their temple precincts. The district is known as "Matsuba-ga-yatsu" and covers Myohoji district as well. In the mid-13th century, the Zen order was booming in Kamakura with the support of Tokiyori Hojo in power as the 5th Hojo Regent. He constructed Kenchoji. Nichiren Shonin had written the treatise Rissho Ankoku Ron and had it presented to the Regent Tokiyori Hojo. At the time, a series of natural disasters and social unrest occurred making people uneasy and scared. In the treatise, Nichiren argued that the government should follow the correct teachings contained in the Lotus Sutra and establish the essential truth in order to reform society and ensure the peace and security of the land. However, the Regent and the Kamakura Shogunate did not show any interest, much less employ his doctrines. Nichiren Shonin started preaching to the people in Kamakura at busy street corners, arguing passionately for the establishment of correct doctrine, which provoked antipathy toward him by other orders, and eventually led to attacks by mobs. Included among them were members of the Jodo order patronized by Shigetoki Hojo (1198-1261), who was a family member of the Hojos and contributed to the construction of Gokurakuji. Faced with these assaults, Nichiren Shonin was forced to flee from Kamakura. Returning soon thereafter, he continued his campaign while undergoing similar persecutions. As to exactly where Nichiren Shonin settled in Kamakura, it has long been an issue disputed by the three temples because of their close proximity. They even filed suits against the others and argued in the law court. An academic survey concluded, however, that present-day Ankokuronji was the place where Nichiren first settled, and after the first persecution by the mobs, he made another retreat at Myohoji adjacent to Ankokuronji. Choshoji, 200 meters away from Ankokuronji, was found to have not been a retreat site.