Hokekyo-ji Temple

Walk north along the stone-paved approach from Keisei-Nakayama Station and a vermilion five-story pagoda rises beyond the trees. Hokekyo-ji, formally Shochuzan Hokekyo-ji, is a head temple of the Nichiren school in Nakayama, Ichikawa. The pagoda stands about 31 m tall, and halls from several eras share a single precinct.

The temple began when Toki Jonin, a local figure in Shimosa, built a hall for Nichiren at his own residence. Ota Jomyo was another of Nichiren's patrons. After Nichiren died in 1282, Jonin took the tonsure, turned his house into Hokkeji and became its first abbot, Nichijo. Jomyo's son Nichiko converted his father's residence into Honmyoji, so the later temple has two roots. In 1545 the Koga kubo Ashikaga Harauji granted the title "summit of all Lotus schools," and the two temples were merged under the name Hokekyo-ji.

The first thing to notice is the Soshido, built in the rare "hiyoku irimoya-zukuri" style that places two hip-and-gable roofs side by side, with broad, gently curving eaves. The Soshido, the five-story pagoda, the Hokke-do and the Shisokumon gate are all Important Cultural Properties. The Hokke-do, from the late Muromachi period, is regarded as one of the oldest surviving buildings of the Nichiren school. Also in the precinct are the red Niomon gate, the Kuromon main gate designated by Ichikawa City, the Shogyoden designed by Ito Chuta, and the Okunoin standing on the site of the Toki residence. The bronze seated Shaka Nyorai known as the Nakayama Daibutsu, cast in 1719, is here as well.

Among its treasures, Nichiren's own Rissho Ankoku-ron and Kanjin Honzon-sho are National Treasures, and other Nichiren manuscripts and the Nakayama Hokekyo-ji documents are Important Cultural Properties.

From November 1 to February 10 each year, monks from across Japan undergo the midwinter austerity called Dai-Aragyo. The Setsubun ceremony is held on February 3. The Oeshiki rites are held from November 15 to 18.

Allow about an hour for a visit, or around ninety minutes to see the halls carefully. Shibamata Taishakuten (about 7.6 km), Funabashi Andersen Park (about 11 km) and Tokyo Disneyland (about 11.6 km) are all nearby by car.