Shokoku-ji Temple

Shokoku-ji stands just north of the Kyoto Imperial Palace, a short walk east of the corner of Imadegawa and Karasuma streets. It is the head temple of the Rinzai Shokoku-ji school of Zen Buddhism, enshrines Shaka Nyorai (the historical Buddha) as its principal image, and is ranked second among the Kyoto Gozan, the five great Zen temples of the city. Right beside the Doshisha University campus, it offers wide, quiet grounds in the middle of the city. Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji are its affiliated sub-temples located outside the main precinct.

The shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu began the temple in 1382, with Muso Soseki honored as its founding abbot. A seven-story pagoda said to have reached about 109 meters was built in 1399, but lightning destroyed it in 1403. The temple burned repeatedly, in the Onin War, in a battle in 1551 and in the great Tenmei fire of 1788, and most of today's buildings date from the early 19th century.

The highlight is the Dharma Hall, rebuilt in 1605 with support from Toyotomi Hideyori. It is the oldest surviving Dharma Hall in Japan and an Important Cultural Property. The ceiling bears a painting of a coiled dragon attributed to Kano Mitsunobu; clapping your hands beneath it produces an echo, which is why it is known as the "crying dragon." The Hojo hall, the Founder's Hall with its garden, and the bathhouse are designated by Kyoto Prefecture. The graves of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the poet Fujiwara no Teika and the painter Ito Jakuchu are in the precinct, and the Shokokuji Art Museum, opened in 1984, shows treasures of the temple and its sub-temples.

The Dharma Hall, Hojo and other buildings are normally closed and are opened during special viewing periods. The official website announces the autumn 2026 special viewing as running from September 26 to December 15. Hours and fees change, so check the official site before you go. Allow about one to one and a half hours, and consider combining the visit with Daitoku-ji (about 1.9 km) or Nijo Castle (about 2.5 km).