The Hokoji Temple, founded in 1371, is the “grand head temple” of the Hoko Sect in the Rinzai Zen School of Buddhism. There are approximately 170 Hoko Sect schools/temples in the Shizuoka prefecture. Since ancient times, the temple has served as a famous zen training monastery. Many zen students visit, however, anyone who wishes to can experience serious zen practice, which is same training that monks practice nowadays.

The grounds of the temple holds many valuable and historical buildings, such as the hondo (main building of the temple), somon and sanmon (entrance gates), sanjunoto (three-storied tower), and gohyakurakan (500 statues of people that earned respect). The temple is also surrounded in beautiful nature that is stunning no matter the season.

Legend has it, Tokugawa Ieyasu stopped by the Hokoji Temple on his way to Totominokuni (west side of the Shizuoka prefecture), which, at the time, was territory of the Imagawa Clan. Ieyasu had traveled from the Okazaki Castle in order to invade the Imagawa Clan at Totominokuni. Near the temple, there is a mountain pass called “Jinnoza Pass,” which derives from the fact that Ieyasu camped there. “Jinnoza” in Japanese means “taking position.”

Ieyasu later became chief of Okazaki Castle and promised safe territory to the temple. Even now, the document on which Ieyasu signed and promised this still exists and is well-preserved.

Adress:1577-1,Okuyama,Inasacho,Kita-ku,Hamamatsu-shi,Shizuoka