Overview
Hōdai-in is a temple of the Sōtō Zen school in Hakoda, Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Its mountain name is Kunimi-zan and its temple name Jigen-ji, and it is said to have been founded by the priest Chikuō Enpu. A quiet Zen temple embraced by the wooded hills of Kasama, it opens through its gate into calm, tree-shaded precincts where you can worship in a stillness fit for seated meditation.
Highlights
- ●Serene precincts and a temple gate in the manner of a Sōtō Zen temple
- ●The Zen ideal held in the names Kunimi-zan Jigen-ji
- ●Its lineage tied to the founding priest Chikuō Enpu
- ●The four-season nature of Kasama's wooded hills and Zen stillness
History
Hōdai-in is a Sōtō Zen temple said to have been opened by its founding priest Chikuō Enpu. The mountain and temple names Kunimi-zan Jigen-ji reflect both the hill-viewing scenery of this land and the Zen ideal of regarding all beings with compassionate eyes. For the exact founding year and the deeds of successive abbots, we recommend checking official information or on-site guidance.
Access
The temple lies in Hakoda, Kasama City, near latitude 36.39, longitude 140.24. Using Kasama Station as a base, you travel through the city, and a car is the most convenient means. As it stands among wooded hills, checking the route on a map beforehand is reassuring. Confirm detailed access and bus services through official sources.
Best season
Early summer, dazzling with fresh green, and autumn, when the hills turn to color, are especially beautiful, harmonizing the stillness of a Zen temple with nature. Visiting in the crisp air of winter lets you worship with an even purer heart.
Map
36.3986, 140.2432 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Set out from Kasama Station toward the Hakoda area
- 2Follow the hill roads and pass through the gate of Kunimi-zan Hōdai-in
- 3Worship in the quiet precincts and learn of the founder and mountain name
- 4Explore Kasama's culture with Kasama Inari Shrine and Kasama-ware kilns
Did you know?
💡 Kasama is a cultural town known for Kasama Inari Shrine, one of Japan's three great Inari shrines, and for Kasama ware pottery, yet Sōtō Zen temples like Hōdai-in are scattered around it. Pairing a Zen temple visit with pottery and a shrine pilgrimage reveals the layered charm of Kasama.
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