The Engaku-ji (円覚寺), officially known as the Zuirokuzan Engaku Kōshō Zenji (瑞鹿山円覚興聖禅寺), is the head temple of the Engakuji branch of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism and one of the most important Zen Buddhist temples in Japan. It is located in Kita-kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The Engakuji was...
Meigetsu-in (明月院), or officially Fugenzan Meigetsu-in (福源山明月院), is a Zen temple of the Kenchoji branch of the Rinzai school, one of the three Zen sects of Japan. The temple, famous for its irises and hydrangea (紫陽花 ajisai) is also known as Ajisai-dera. Hydrangea bloom in Japan's rainy season...
Hongaku-ji (本覚寺, Temple of True Awakening) is a Buddhist temple of the Nichiren sect located in the centre of Kamakura. It is the temple closest to Kamakura Station.
History:
In the 12th century, Minamoto no Yoritomo built an Ebisu Hall (Ebisudō) on the site of an existing Tendai temple...
Myohon-ji Temple (妙本寺 Myōhonji, the "Temple of the Wonderful Book"), or officially Chōkō-zan Myohon-ji (長興山妙本寺 Chōkōzan Myōhonji) was founded in 1260 and is one of the oldest Nichiren temples in Kamakura.
Myōhon-ji is located in the Ōmachi (大町) area of Northern Kamakura. The stone column...
Myōhō–ji (妙法寺, the "Temple of the Marvelous Law"), officially known as Ryōgonzan Renge-in Myōhō-ji (楞厳山蓮華院妙法寺), is a Buddhist temple of the Nichiren sect in the Ōmachi area of Kamakura. It is located in Matsubagayatsu, or the Valley of Pine Needles (松葉ヶ谷), where Nichiren was said to have built...
Asahina Pass (朝比奈切通), also called Asaina Pass (朝夷奈切通), is one of the Seven Entrances (鎌倉七口, Kamakura nana-kuchi) or Seven Passes (七切り通し Nana-kiridoshi) of Kamakura. It connected the northwestern part of the city with the Port of Mutsuura (modern-day Kanazawa-bunko in Yokohama). It is said that...
Sugimoto-dera (杉本寺), officially known as Daizō-zan Kannon-in Sugimoto-dera (大蔵山観音院杉本寺), is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai denomination in Kamakura. It was founded in 734, over four-hundred years before the Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Yoritomo, and is considered to be the...
Hōkoku-ji (報国寺) is one of the Zen temples in Kamakura that belong to Kenchō-ji Temple of the Rinzai sect. It is located along Kamakura Road close to Sugimoto-dera, just across the Nameri River, and famous for its idyllic bamboo garden. It is also known as "Bamboo Temple" (竹の寺).
Hōkoku-ji was...
Tōkasan Jōmyō Zenji (稲荷山浄妙寺) is one of the Zen temples in Kamakura that belong to Kenchō-ji Temple of the Rinzai sect. Originally founded soon after Minamoto no Yoritomo's arrival in Kamakura as a temple of the Tendai school, it later turned to Rinzai Zen and grew fast under the Ashikaga when...
Tōkei-ji (東慶寺), officially known as Shōkozan Tōkei-ji (松岡山東慶寺), is a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism, located in Kita-Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture. It used to be part of a system of nunneries called the Kamakura Amagozan (鎌倉尼五山) and is the sole remaining temple of this former...
Jōchi-ji Temple (浄智寺, the "Temple of Pure Wisdom"), officially known as Kinpōzan Jōchi-ji (金宝山浄智寺) belongs to the Rinzai School of Zen Buddhism. It is located in Kita-Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, and is a branch temple of Engaku-ji. It is the fourth temple of the Kamakura Gozan (鎌倉五山), the...
Enno-ji Temple (円応寺), officially known as Araizan Ennōji (新居山円応寺), belongs to the Kenchō-ji School of the Rinzai sect. It is located in Kita-Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. The temple is famous for its magnificent wooden statue of Enma (閻魔), the King of the Underworld.
The stairs leading up to...
Kenchō-ji (建長寺), formally known as Kyofukusan Kenchō Kōkoku Zenji (巨福山建長興国禅寺) is one of the main temples of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. It is located in Kamakura and the first of the so-called Kamakura Gozan (鎌倉五山), the Five Great Temples of Kamakura, based on a ranking system for Zen...
Zuisen-ji (瑞泉寺, "Temple of the Spring of Good Omen"), formally known as Kinbyōzan Zuisen-ji (錦屏山瑞泉寺), is a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism located in the Nikaidō area of Kamakura. It is closely related to the Kamakura branch of the Ashikaga family and its Kantō kubō. In 1853, Yoshida...
The Kamakura Museum of National Treasures (鎌倉国宝館 Kamakura Kokuhōkan), or just "Kamakura Museum", is located on the grounds of Tsurugaoka Hachimangū in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. It was founded in 1928 to preserve the cultural treasures of the region and to make objects of cultural and...
Kakuon-ji (覚園寺), officially known as Jubusen Shingon-in Kakuon-ji (鷲峰山真言院覚園寺) by its mountain name, is a Buddhist Shingon temple of the Sennyu-ji school located in Nikaidō, Kamakura. It was founded in 1296 by Hōjō Sadatoki, the ninth Kamakura regent, to celebrate the victory over the Mongol...
Hōkai-ji (宝戒寺), formally known as Kinryūzan Shakuman-in Endon Hōkai-ji (金龍山釈満院円頓宝戒寺), is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai school located in the Komachi district of Kamakura. It is also known as Hagidera (萩寺) as it is famous for the vast number of bush clover (hagi) blooming in its gardens in...
Kaizō-ji (海蔵寺), officially known as Senkokusan Kaizō-ji (扇谷山海蔵寺), is a Buddhist temple that belongs to the Kenchō-ji school of the Rinzai Zen sect (臨済宗). It is located in the Ogigayatsu district of Kamakura.
History
In 1253, Prince Munetaka (宗尊親王, 1242-74), the sixth shōgun of the Kamakura...
Eishō-ji (英勝寺), officially known as Tōkōzan Eishō-ji (東光山英勝寺), is a temple of the Pure Land School of Buddhism. It is located in the Ogigayatsu District of Kamakura and is the only remaining nunnery in the town.
The tiny side entrance to Eishō-ji that makes visitors bow on entering the temple...
Kōsoku-ji (光則寺), officially known under its mountain name Gyōjisan Kōsokuji (行時山光則寺), is a Buddhist temple of the Nichiren sect located in Hase, Kamakura. It is of great importance to the worshippers of Nichiren because of its connection to the founder and his disciples who were held captive at...
