Tounji Temple

It was founded in 1487 as the family temple of the Fujiwara clan, who were the lords of Sakurao Castle and the chief priests of Itsukushima Shrine at the time. After the last head of the Fujiwara clan, Okito, was killed in a power struggle between the Amago and Ouchi clans, the land came into the possession of the Ouchi clan, but it was passed from the Ouchi clan to their senior vassal, the Sue clan, and then to the Mori clan, who defeated the Sue clan in the Battle of Itsukushima. Sue Harukata, who lost the Battle of Itsukushima, was interred at Sakurao Castle (now Katsura Park) and buried here. The temple also houses the pagodas of Katsura Motozumi, a senior vassal of Mori Motonari, and his wife, and Motonari's fourth son, Mori Motokiyo. The Shobogenzo manuscript preserved at the temple is a prefectural important cultural property.