Jōken-ji Temple

Overview

Joken-ji is a temple of the Pure Land (Jodo) school in the Tsutsumi district of Chigasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is celebrated as the family temple of the Ooka clan, including Ooka Tadasuke (Echizen-no-kami), famed as an upright magistrate of the Edo period. With the mountain name Sogetsuzan, it preserves the echoes of history within a quiet rural landscape, offering a peaceful place to pay respects a little apart from the city center.

Highlights

• ●Family temple of the Ooka clan, which produced magistrate Ooka Tadasuke
• ●A Jodo-school temple with a long history dating to its 1611 founding
• ●A graceful character conveyed by the mountain name Sogetsuzan
• ●A quiet setting ringed by the wooded hills of Chigasaki

History

Joken-ji was founded in 1611 as a temple of the Jodo (Pure Land) school. It is the family temple of the Ooka clan, which produced the renowned magistrate Ooka Tadasuke, and has long been maintained as a temple tied to the lineage. Ooka Echizen-no-kami Tadasuke, remembered for his many judgments as an Edo town magistrate, remains widely beloved to this day, and the temple's role as the resting place of his clan lends it a special weight. For details on temple treasures and the grave site, please refer to official sources.

Map

35.3623, 139.4117 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head from Chigasaki Station by bus or on foot to Joken-ji in Tsutsumi
2. 2Pay respects at the Pure Land main hall and take in the calm rural air
3. 3Reflect on history through the temple's tie to the Ooka clan
4. 4Stroll the surrounding countryside scenery as you make an unhurried return

Did you know?

💡 The mountain name Sogetsuzan (Window-Moon Mountain) evokes the temple's graceful character. Its role as the family temple of Ooka Tadasuke, the Ooka Echizen familiar from period dramas, is an irresistible draw for history lovers. Visiting a site connected to the celebrated magistrate makes the tales of the Edo period feel suddenly close at hand.

Nearby spots