| Tennō-ji 天王寺 | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Rinzai Zen |
| Deity | Vaiśravaṇa |
| Status | Closed as of 1879 |
| Location | |
| Location | Shuri Tōnokura 2-18, Naha, Okinawa prefecture |
| Country | Japan |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | c. 1465 - 1487 |
Tennō-ji (天王寺) was a Rinzai Buddhist temple and royal bodaiji of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, located in Naha, Okinawa.
Tennō-ji was the house of Shō En before he ascended the throne. Shō Shin was born here. The house changed in usage and became a Buddhist temple during the reign of King Shō Shin (r. 1477–1526). It also used as bodaiji of Ryukyuan queens. Ryukyuan king should visit Enkaku-ji, Tennō-ji and Tenkai-ji after his genpuku and investiture.[1][2][3]
Ryukyu was annexed by Japan in 1879, and Tennō-ji was closed in the same year and buddharupa, spirit tablets and bonshō were moved to Enkaku-ji. The main hall (本殿, Honden) was used as a classroom of a school; the western part of the temple was bought by Methodists who built a church on it.[3] It was destroyed in the 1945 battle of Okinawa.[4]