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Kenchoji Temple

Southern Song Style Zen Temple

Kencho-ji Temple, the first of the Five Zen Mountains in Kamakura, was built in 1253 by the Chinese monk Rankei Doryu, who was invited by Hojo Tokiyori. The temple is one of the earliest Zen temples in Japan, and the layout of the temple is modeled after that of the Song Dynasty, with the Somon Gate, the Sanmon Gate, the Buddha Hall, the Dharma Hall, and the Abbot's Quarters all along one axis.

Kencho-ji Temple 建長寺 is the head temple of the Kencho-ji school of Rinzai Buddhism and is the first of the five mountains in Kamakura. In 1253, the ruler of the Kamakura Shogunate, Hojo Tokiyori, invited a senior monk of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zen Master Dajue (Rangi Doryu), to found Kencho-ji Temple.

As one of the earliest Zen temples in Japan, the layout of the garan of Kencho-ji Temple was exactly following the layout of Zen temples of the Song Dynasty in China, with the Somon Gate, the Sanmon Gate, the Buddha Hall, the Dharma Hall, and the Abbot’s Quarters all along one axis.

The Somon Gate (Outer Gate), relocated from Kyoto in 1940, is the first gate of Kencho-ji Temple, and the all-wooden Sanmon, the Main Gate behind the Somon Gate has statues of Sakyamuni and Arhats enshrined inside.

Please Do Touch the Arhat

Butsuden, the Buddha Hall is the central hall of Kencho-ji Temple, and is dedicated to Jizo Bodhisattva. Originally located in Tokyo’s Zojo-ji Temple, this hall used to be the mausoleum hall of the wife of Tokugawa Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun, and was moved to Kencho-ji Temple in 1647, along with Karamon, the Grand Gate and Seraimon.

Hatto, the grand Dharma Hall behind the Buddha Hall is said to be The Largest Dharma Hall in Kanto Region of Japan, and once accommodated 388 monks to study Dharma together. The hall is dedicated to the statues of Thousand-armed Kannon and Sakyamuni, and painter Koizumi Junsaku created a ceiling painting Dragon in the Cloud on the 750th anniversary of Kencho-ji Temple.

Hojo, the Abbot’s Quarters, is mostly used to receive distinguished guests. Behind the Hojo is Shin-ji Ike, One of the Oldest Zen Gardens in Japan, created by the founder Rankei Doryu.