Sōō-in Temple

Overview

Soo-in is a temple of the Koyasan Shingon school in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture. It is the 2nd stop on the Hida Thirty-Three Kannon Pilgrimage and the 40th on the Chubu Forty-Nine Yakushi Pilgrimage. Its predecessor was Chokyu-ji, the administrative temple of Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine, and it preserves a strong memory of Hida-Takayama's history and its blend of Shinto and Buddhist devotion, welcoming pilgrims and town-walking travelers alike.

Highlights

• ●The standing of a Koyasan Shingon temple
• ●A Yakushi Nyorai attributed to the monk Enku
• ●An Amida triad said to be dedicated by Kanamori Nagachika
• ●The 2nd Hida Kannon and 40th Chubu Yakushi pilgrimage stop

History

Soo-in grew out of Chokyu-ji, which flourished as the administrative temple of Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine. Its founding date is unknown, but it continued as Chokyu-ji until the Meiji government issued the edict separating Shinto and Buddhism. Facing abolition, the head priest Sakurayama Shikio revived it in 1892 (Meiji 25) by taking on the name and lineage of Soo-in, a temple linked to the Kanamori clan that had fallen into disuse on Mount Koya. The principal image, Fudo Myoo, dates from the Chokyu-ji era, and the temple also inherited an Amida triad said to have been dedicated by Kanamori Nagachika, as well as a Yakushi Nyorai carved by the monk Enku.

Map

36.1480, 137.2616 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1From JR Takayama Station, enter the old townscape and savor its mood
2. 2Visit Soo-in, tied to Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine
3. 3Encounter the Enku Yakushi Nyorai and receive pilgrimage stamps
4. 4Extend to the old streets or the Takayama Festival Floats Hall

Did you know?

💡 Enku was an Edo-period monk famous for carving a vast number of Buddhist images, and Soo-in preserves a Yakushi Nyorai attributed to him. The Kanamori were the lords who governed Takayama, and the inherited Amida triad is said to have been dedicated by Kanamori Nagachika.

Nearby spots