Overview
Shofukuji is a Zen temple of the Nanzenji branch of the Rinzai school, quietly set in Yoro-cho, Yoro District, Gifu Prefecture. Its mountain name is Kyushozan, and its principal image is Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of healing. Long known as the family temple of the Marumo clan, who ruled the Tagi district during the Warring States period, it preserves a strong sense of samurai heritage. Free of heavy tourist crowds, it is a peaceful place to pause on a walk through the Yoro countryside.
Highlights
- ●A solemn row of graves and memorial tablets for twenty-one generations of the Marumo clan
- ●A lacquered ossuary of Ogasawara Nagakiyo, designated a Gifu prefectural cultural property
- ●Grounds steeped in local lore, including the eerie legend of the Uba-ishi stone
- ●The quiet dignity of Kyushozan, a Rinzai Nanzenji-branch temple enshrining Yakushi Nyorai
History
The exact year of its founding is unknown, but tradition holds that it was established by Ogasawara Nagakiyo, a warrior of the Kamakura period, with the permission of the Kamakura shogunate. In 1363 it was restored by Marumo Kaneyori, a descendant of Nagakiyo. When Nagakiyo's grave temple in Kyoto burned down in 1468, Marumo Nagateru is said to have brought a portion of Nagakiyo's remains here for burial. Damaged by fire in the Genroku era, the temple was rebuilt, and in 1934 it was moved to its present site in connection with improvement works on the Makita River. The graves of twenty-one generations of the Marumo family, from Kaneyori onward, are still cared for here.
Access
The temple stands in Yoro-cho, Yoro District, in the same district famous for the Yoro Falls and park. Using public transport, it is convenient to reach a nearby station on the Yoro Railway and continue by local bus or taxi; by car, you can approach via national and prefectural roads from the Ogaki area. Some approach roads are narrow, so it is wise to check your route and parking in advance. As visiting arrangements may change, please confirm details through official sources before your visit.
Best season
From the fresh green of spring and early summer to the autumn colors, the mood of this quiet mountain temple deepens with the seasons. Summer offers cool shade beneath the trees, while winter brings crisp, clear air to the solemn grounds. Each season has its own character, making it ideal for a slow, crowd-free journey.
Map
35.3088, 136.5533 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Arrive in the Yoro countryside and head first to Shofukuji, looking up at the Kyushozan temple plaque
- 2Walk the grounds and pay respects at the Marumo family graves and memorial tablets
- 3Reflect on tales passed down here, such as the Uba-ishi legend, in the quiet air
- 4Afterward, continue to the Yoro Falls and Yoro Park to enjoy the land of nature and pure water
Did you know?
💡 The temple preserves a bone reliquary said to hold the remains of Ogasawara Nagakiyo; as a lacquered ossuary vessel, it is designated a cultural property of Gifu Prefecture. A local legend also tells of the Uba-ishi, a strange stone that once cried out at night, until a monk named Seigan Shotetsu, staying at the temple, composed a poem and touched it with a sword, ending the eerie disturbances.
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