Overview
Shorin-ji is a temple of the Soto Zen school in Yokoyama-cho, Koga, Ibaraki Prefecture. Known by the full name Kion-zan Choji-in Shorin-ji, it is a Soto Zen temple that values seated meditation, standing quietly in a calm corner of Koga's old castle-town streetscape. It is a place for composing the mind rather than a bustling tourist temple.
Highlights
- ●A quiet Soto Zen temple carrying on Dogen's teaching
- ●The dignified mountain and cloister names Kion-zan Choji-in
- ●A calm corner of Koga's old castle-town streetscape
- ●Composed grounds befitting a temple devoted to seated meditation
History
Shorin-ji has come down as a Soto school temple with the mountain name Kion-zan and cloister name Choji-in. The Soto school, founded by Dogen, is a Zen tradition that places shikantaza, or just sitting, at the heart of its practice. In this district of Yokoyama-cho in Koga, the temple has long tended to the community's memorial rites and served as a place of prayer. It is a temple of pedigree that still preserves its formal mountain, cloister and temple names. For a detailed history, please consult official sources or on-site guidance.
Access
The temple lies in Yokoyama-cho, Koga, Ibaraki Prefecture. Koga sits near the westernmost edge of the prefecture, at a transport crossroads bordering Tochigi and Saitama, and Koga Station on the Tohoku Main Line (Utsunomiya Line) is convenient. Please check official information for the route to the grounds and parking before visiting.
Best season
For quiet sitting, the bright greenery of spring and early summer and the clear air of autumn are pleasant. Koga is also known for its peach blossoms, so a spring visit combined with a walk through the castle town is recommended.
Map
36.2013, 139.7041 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Walk or drive from Koga Station to Shorin-ji in Yokoyama-cho
- 2Pass through the gate and pray in the quiet Soto Zen precinct
- 3Take time to savor the halls and the setting of the grounds
- 4Enjoy the day together with Koga's castle town and peach-blossom sights
Did you know?
💡 The character for kirin, an auspicious mythical beast, appears in the mountain name Kion-zan, conveying the dignity and aspiration of a Zen temple. Temples named Shorin-ji exist in various places, but this one is the Soto Zen temple in Yokoyama-cho, Koga.
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