Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple

Author: Richard Perkins
Photos/Videos Taken: 2024/04/22
Address: 2489 Kibekami, Hagi,
Yamaguchi【758-0304】

Japanese people love cats. This is no surprise; there are many cat cafes (cafes where one can play with cats) across Japan. Japanese people love cats so much that they’re willing to spend money to play with them. It may seem like a modern-day fad, but the Japanese have always loved cats. Natsume Sōseki, a novelist during the Meiji period (1868-1912), wrote the book “I Am a Cat”. This is a famous novel written from a cat's point of view. There’s also the 招き猫 (maneki-neko), a traditional Japanese handicraft shaped like a cat. As you can see, there’s history behind this love of cats in Japan.

In Japan, cat cafes aren’t the only places where you can come into contact with cats. Some Buddhist temples and Shintō shrines are dedicated to cats, worshipping them like gods. One of these temples is 栖月山雲林寺 (seigetsuzan-unrinji) in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Part of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, there are cat statues and cat-shaped toys all across this temple. Also referred to as the “Cat Temple”, Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple didn’t originally have any connections with cats. It was first built as a branch temple (a temple that has broken off from and is part of a larger head temple) of Tenjuin Temple in Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple was built roughly 400 years ago and worships Mōri Terumoto (1553-1625), the head of the Mōri family, who led the relocation of their domain office to Hagi City.

It’s unclear what exact year Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple was built, but a legend remains here about Mōri Terumoto. Nagai Motofusa (the retainer to Mōri Terumoto) killed himself after the death of his master in 1625. After his death, the cat that he owned was said to have become incredibly sad. From this sorrow, the cat bit its tongue, committing suicide. This story is rather coincidental. It doesn’t relate to how Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple became known as the “Cat Temple”, but Mōri Terumoto does have a link to a cat.

For almost 100 years, Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple was vacant and empty; no one looked after it. In 1996, it was passed down to Kakuda Jisei, who put several maneki-neko that he’d received from his family on display here. From there, those who visited said they’d like to donate the cat-related goods they own to this temple. One by one, the number of cat-related goods started to increase, and now there are said to be over 600 of them on display. Wherever you look in this temple, you will see a cat of some sort. It’s not just cat-related goods; you’ll also find real cats wandering in and around the grounds here. A kitten that’d been left on its own was once found here. Food was placed out for it, and little by little, other cats started to show up. There are now quite a few cats that live at this temple.

Seigetsuzan Unrinji Temple isn’t one of the biggest temples in Japan. However, with its unique atmosphere, this temple will overwhelm everyone who visits. The grounds here are warm and welcoming, so everyone who visits will (be sure to) have fun. Even those without much of an interest in temples will (without a doubt) find the appeal of visiting them when here. Particularly for the cat-loving Japanese, this is one temple that’s worth a visit.