Tōrin-in

Tōrin-in (東林院) is a sub-temple of the temple complex of Myōshin-ji in Kyoto, Japan. It is affiliated with the Myōshin-ji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

Name
The temple is named for Donglin Temple at the base of Mountain Lu near Jiujiang in China.

Due to a famous 300-year-old sal tree on the grounds, it is colloquially known as the Sal Tree Temple (沙羅双樹の寺). A festival is held every June to celebrate the sal tree and its flowers.

History
The temple was founded in 1531 in Kamigyō-ku as a family temple for the Hosokawa clan, and named Sanyū-in (三友院). In 1556, it passed to the Yamana clan, whose family temple it remains to this day, and was moved to its current location within Myōshin-ji and renamed to Tōrin-in.

Visiting
The temple is not generally open to walk-up visitors, but is open year-round for shukubō (monastery lodging) and shōjin-ryōri (devotional cuisine). The current head priest, Nishikawa Genbō (西川玄房), is a researcher of devotional cuisine. A class on devotional cuisine is held every Tuesday.

The temple holds three annual events which are open to the public:
 * Celebrate the New Year with adzuki bean gruel (小豆粥で初春を祝う会) – second half of January, from January 15, celebrating koshōgatsu (小正月)
 * Admiration of sal tree flowers (沙羅の花を愛でる会) – second half of June
 * Festival of fondness of lantern light (梵燈のあかりに親しむ会) – early/mid-October