Gokuraku-ji ［極楽寺］: Literally, “Temple of Perfect Bliss.” A temple of the True Word Precepts (Shingon–Ritsu) school in Kamakura, Japan, built in 1259 by Hōjō Shigetoki, the third son of Hōjō Yoshitoki, the second regent of the Kamakura government. Later Hōjō Nagatoki, a son of Hōjō Shigetoki and the sixth regent of the Kamakura shogunate, invited Ryōkan to act as chief priest. Ryōkan, while widely respected, had great animosity for Nichiren, who sought to engage him in a public religious debate. He conspired with authorities to have Nichiren and his followers persecuted. The temple was destroyed by fire in 1275, and was rebuilt in 1281 by the eighth regent Hōjō Tokimune as the shogunate’s official place of prayer. In 1332 it became affiliated with the imperial court, and its priests were charged with the responsibility of praying for the peace of the country and the good health of the emperor. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1433 but later restored. See also Ryōkan.