Overview
Ryuzoji is a temple of the Soto Zen school located in Chuo-ku, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Known as the family temple of the Okano house, a line of shogunate direct retainers (hatamoto), it preserves a warrior-family heritage to this day. The Okano house descends from Itabeoka Kosetsusai, who served the Hojo clan, and the line of his second son Okano Fusatsugu is said to have held Fuchinobe village in Koza District, Sagami Province (present-day Sagamihara). In the Fuchinobe area that still keeps traces of the old Musashino landscape, it is a Zen temple where one can feel the depth of history.
Highlights
- ●The warrior-family heritage as the temple of the hatamoto Okano house
- ●A historical tale tracing back to the line of Itabeoka Kosetsusai
- ●The quiet bearing of a Soto Zen temple
- ●A calm Sagamihara setting keeping traces of old Fuchinobe village
History
Ryuzoji belongs to the Soto Zen school and has built its ties as the family temple of the hatamoto Okano house. One ancestor of the family, Itabeoka Kosetsusai, was active under the Hojo clan during the Warring States period, and the line of his second son Okano Fusatsugu is said to have governed Fuchinobe village. Throughout the Edo period, the temple remained a place of prayer and memorial for the Okano family. For the founding date and detailed records, please refer to official sources.
Access
The temple lies in Chuo-ku, Sagamihara City, in the area corresponding to the former Fuchinobe village. Fuchinobe Station on the JR Yokohama Line serves as a guide point, with a walk or bus ride expected from the station. Chuo-ku of Sagamihara can be reached from central Tokyo on a single Yokohama Line ride, making it suitable for a day trip of temple visits. Please confirm routes and visiting hours through official information.
Best season
To walk the precinct slowly and reflect on its history, early summer with fresh greenery (May to June) and autumn foliage (November) are pleasant seasons. The Fuchinobe area is a relatively calm residential district as well, so quiet visits can be enjoyed year-round. During the rainy season and midsummer, take care with footing and the heat.
Map
35.5617, 139.4149 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Start from Fuchinobe Station on the JR Yokohama Line and head to Ryuzoji
- 2Tour the precinct as the Okano family temple and reflect on warrior history
- 3Pay a visit amid the stillness of the Soto Zen temple
- 4Stroll together with nearby spots in Chuo-ku, Sagamihara
Did you know?
💡 Itabeoka Kosetsusai, linked to Ryuzoji, is remembered as a figure who served the Hojo clan in diplomacy and negotiation. The story of his descendants governing the Sagamihara area as hatamoto and making this their family temple conveys the path of a warrior family through the transition from the Warring States era into the Edo period.
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