Ryotoku-ji Temple (了徳寺)
Ryotoku-ji Temple on Mt. Horin is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Otani school of Jodo Shinshu (the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism) located in Narutaki, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City. It is commonly known as Daikontaki-dera.
It is known for its Daikon-taki (daikon radish cooking) ceremony held on December 9 and 10. This tradition originated in 1252 during the Kamakura period when Shinran held a sermon in Narutaki on the way back from Gatsurin-ji Temple on Mt. Atago, and the deeply impressed locals presented him with a meal of boiled daikon radish with salt as it was all they had to offer. To show his gratitude, Shinran fashioned a brush from bunched zebra grass tips and wrote the ten-character name for the Buddha Amitabha Tathagata; 'Kimyo Jinjippo Mugeko Nyorai' (I take refuge in the Tathagata of unhindered light filling the ten quarters).
It is due to this event that Hoonko (a memorial service for Shinran) is commonly known as 'Daikon-taki.'
There is a mound named 'Susuki-zuka' in the temple's front garden.
Access
Take the Kyoto City Bus No. 26 to 'Narutaki-honcho' and walk for three minutes.