Jionji Temple in Sagae, Yamagata 慈恩寺（山形県寒河江市）

Since I stayed Yamagata City last night, I made a little side trip to Jionji Temple in Sagae, Yamagata this morning. It was unfortunate that I had never had visited this temple when I lived in Sagae several years ago. 

Jionji Temple was opened in 724 during the Nara Period by order of the Shomu Emperor. The temple's territoty was over 2,800 goku in the Edo Period, which was the greatest temple in Tohoku region.

昨晩山形市に泊まったので、今朝は寒河江にある慈恩寺まで足を延ばしてみた。残念なことに、数年前寒河江市に住んでた頃には、全く行ったことがなかった。

慈恩寺は、奈良時代に聖武天皇の勅命によって開基されたと伝えられている古刹。江戸時代の寺領2,800石余は東北随一とのこと。