Jōchi-ji, A Tranquil Zen Haven Amidst Nature
Yamanouchi 1402, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
4.1
Introduction
Jochiji Temple is a Zen temple located in the Kamakura Gozan (Five Mountains of Kamakura). It belongs to the Rinzai Zen sect of the Engakuji school. The temple was founded by the wife of Hojo Munetoki, a member of the Hojo clan, around 1281 to commemorate her deceased husband and son. During the late Kamakura period and early Muromachi period, Jochiji was a prosperous Shichidanka (seven temple complex), but later declined. The current Shichidanka was reconstructed after the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923.
If you visit Jochiji Temple, you will see a Chinese-style bell tower gate, with a large bell hanging at the top, which is rare in Kamakura. In the depths of the bell tower gate, there is a Buddha hall called Danka-do, where the main Buddha, Sanseibutsu seated statue, is enshrined. On the left, there are statues of Amida Nyorai, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Miroku Bodhisattva, representing the past, present, and future.
Jochiji Temple is surrounded by natural forests, with plants such as winter plum, cherry trees, cryptomeria, and round cypress. It is a tranquil and peaceful place, representing the true world of Zen Buddhism. Address Yamanouchi 1402, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Transportation JR Kitakamakura Station is a 6-minute walk away.
