JAPAN

Banknote

hansatsu

"Shinrenji Temple note"

Silver 2 Momme

(1868)

FRONT

・銀弐匁（Silver 2 Momme）

・御菩堤所（Bodai-ji Temple; here referring to Shinrenji Temple)）

・真蓮寺（Shinrenji Temple）

BACK

・御寄附（Donations）

・御寄附御祠堂金御貸（Loan of consecrated temple funds from donations）

・附手形引替所（Exchange Office for Attached Bills (Issuing Office)）

・山田油屋伊十郎（Guaranteed by Yamada Aburaya Ijurō）

・It is described as a donation, but in reality it is a bill issued by the temple when it lent money as part of its money-lending activities.

■ Shinrenji Temple (Kyoto)

1. Basic Information

• Location: Kyoto (within the city) 

• Sect: Primarily affiliated with Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land Buddhism), especially the Honganji tradition 

• Function: A family temple (bodai-ji) for ancestral worship 

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2. Historical Background and Character

　Shinrenji Temple in Kyoto is one of the temples based on the teachings of Shinran, the founder of Jōdo Shinshū.

　Its main characteristics include:

• Devotion to Amida Buddha (through the practice of nenbutsu) 

• Strong support among common people 

Given its location in Kyoto, the temple likely developed within the network of major head temples such as:

• Nishi Honganji 

• Higashi Honganji 

and can be understood as one of their affiliated branch temples.

________________________________________

3. Role as a “Bodai-ji” (Ancestral Temple)

　In relation to the term “Gobodaisho” (御菩提所) found in your document, this is particularly important:

　Shinrenji functioned as

→ the official family temple responsible for memorial services for a specific family or group.

　Its roles included:

• Ancestral rites and memorial services 

• Funerals 

• Granting of posthumous Buddhist names (kaimyō) 

________________________________________

4. Economic Functions (Relation to the Document)

　During the Edo period, temples in Kyoto were not only religious institutions but also played economic roles.

They managed funds such as:

• Donations (gokifu) 

• Perpetual memorial funds (shidōkin) 

These funds were sometimes used for:

→ lending money (financial activities)

Therefore, the phrase:

• “Gokifu Godōkin Okashi” (御寄附御祠堂金御貸) 

means:

👉 loans made using temple-managed memorial funds derived from donations

________________________________________

5. Summary

　Shinrenji Temple in Kyoto can be characterized as:

• A Jōdo Shinshū-affiliated Buddhist temple 

• A branch temple within the Honganji network 

• A bodai-ji (family temple) responsible for ancestral rites 

• An institution that also carried out financial activities based on donation funds

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