Kotoku-ji Temple

This is a temple of the Rinzai school of Kencho-ji, with a long history dating back to its founding in 1373, the 6th year of the Oan era (it is said that Shoo Choja invited a Zen master from Kencho-ji to open the temple. I wonder if 'Shoo Choja' is not a person's name, but rather refers to a wealthy person from the Shoo era? The temple appears to have undergone repeated cycles of ruin and reconstruction, but by the Edo period, it had acquired a temple estate of 40 koku. 40 koku is quite large for a temple estate, suggesting that it was a prominent temple in this region). It is a bit of a difficult walk from JR Itsukaichi Station, so I recommend taking a taxi.
The buildings are all magnificent. First, there is the 'Somon' (main gate), which gives a sense of antiquity. Then there is the famous 'Sanmon' (mountain gate) (the heading is Sanmon). Beyond that is the 'Hondo' (main hall).

It is charming that the thatched roofs remain on the buildings. However, looking closely, the thatch is quite damaged, and it seemed that repairs were urgently needed. Yet, it is strange that the construction date of the buildings, which would serve as the basis for restoration, is considered to be the mid-Edo period. Why can it not be estimated from various ancient documents? I could not shake the suspicion that sufficient resources have not been invested in research and study.
Access: I recommend taking a taxi from Itsukaichi Station on the Itsukaichi Line.