The Shin Bud­dhist path was founded by Shin­ran Shonin (1173–1262) dur­ing the Kamakura period, and in sev­eral cen­turies grew into one of the largest and most influ­en­tial schools of Bud­dhism in Japan, a posi­tion it main­tains today. The Hong­wanji tem­ple is the head­quar­ters of the Hong­wanji denom­i­na­tion of Shin Bud­dhism (Jodo Shin­shu Hongwanji-ha), and is known as Nishi (lit. “West”) Hongwanji.