is a Buddhist temple located in the Shigadani neighborhood of the city of Uji, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It belongs to the Honzanshugen-shu, a branch of Shugendà  loosely affiliated with the Tendai of Japanese Buddhism and its honzon is a hibutsu statue of Senjà « Kannon Bosatsu. (Sahasrabhuja) The temple's full name is Akaboshi-san Mimuroto-ji (æÂÂæÂÂå±± ä¸Â室æ¸寺). The temple is the 10th stop on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage route. When the temple was built in ancient times, it was meant to shield Kyoto from evil spirits. Its gardens have 20,000 azaleas and 1000 rhododendrons.
The origin of this temple is uncertain. According to temple legend, the temple was founded in 770 by Gyà Âhyà Â, a monk from Daian-ji in Heijà Â-kyà Â, at the request of Emperor Kà Ânin. Per this legend, Emperor Tenchi's grandson, Shirakabe no Omi (later Emperor Kà Ânin), wished to know the true nature of the golden spiritual light that reached the Imperial Palace every night. He ordered Fujiwara no Inukai, his right-hand man (also known as a historian), to search for the source of the light. Inukai's search led him upstream along the Shizu River, a tributary of the Uji River, where he saw a Senjà « Kannon statue about two feet tall in the basin of a waterfall. When Inukai jumped into the waterfall, a lotus petal floated down and transformed into a two-armed Kannon statue measuring one foot and two inches in height. Emperor Kà Ânin enshrined the Kannon statue, and Gyà Âhyà  established the temple, which was originally called à Âmuroto-ji (御室æ¸寺). Later, Emperor Kanmu erected a two-foot-tall Kannon statue and placed the previously mentioned one, measuring one foot and two inches, inside its womb.
There is no historical documentary evidence to support any of this legend. The monk Gyà Âson's "Pilgrimage to the Thirty-Three Temples of the Western Provinces," included in the "Jimon Kà Âsà Â-ki," a collection of biographies of monks from Onjà Â-ji (Mii-dera), is the oldest historical document on the pilgrimage to the Thirty-Three Temples of the Western Provinces. According to this record, when Gyà Âson made his pilgrimage around the end of the 11th century, à Âmuroto-ji was the thirty-third, or final, pilgrimage site. During the Kanpei era (889-898), Enchin of Onjà Â-ji stayed here, and later, cloistered Emperor Kazan established a villa here and designated the temple as the tenth temple on the revived Saigoku Pilgrimage.
During the Chà Âwa era (1012-1017), Emperor Sanjà  built the Hokke Sammi-dà Â, and Emperor Shirakawa built the Jyà Âgyà  Sammi-dà Â, and donated a shà Âen manor for the temple's upkeep. Also, when Emperor Shirakawa made a pilgrimage to Kumano, a 17-day gà Âma offering ritual was performed at the temple. During the Kà Âwa era (1099-1103), Daisà Âjà  Ryà «mei, the abbot of Onjà Â-ji, restored the temple and relocated the sub-temple, Raku-in, which had been built at Onjà Â-ji at Emperor Shirakawa's request, to à Âmuroto-ji. Later, Emperor Horikawa, a devout follower of Ryà «mei, expanded the temple's buildings and granted him the official title of governor of Nakakuki District, Musashi Province. Around this time, the temple became a villa for the three emperors, Emperor Kà Ânin, Emperor Kazan, and Emperor Shirakawa, and the temple came to be called Mimuroto-ji.
With this extensive patronage from the imperial family, the temple initially prospered, but by the Muromachi period, the temple started to fall into decline. A fire on December 13, 1462 spread from the dining hall destroyed most of the main temple complex. It was rebuilt at the command of Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado in 1487. In 1573, the temple sided with Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who had fled to nearby Makishima Castle, against Oda Nobunaga, and as a result, all of its lands were confiscated, causing the temple to fall into decline. However, it was restored in 1639 by Prince Doko, the cloistered son of Emperor Go-Yà Âzei and head of the monzeki temple of Shà Âgo-in. Around the Meiwa era (1764-1772), the main hall again fell into disrepair, and it was not rebuilt until 1814.
The temple is approximately a 15-minute walk from Mimurodo Station on the Keihan Railway.