Honmyō-ji Temple

Overview

Honmyō-ji is a temple of the Nichiren sect's Rokujōmon lineage, located northwest of Kumamoto Castle in Nishi-ku, Kumamoto City. It has been granted the special rank of "Rokujōmon Kyushu Sōdōshi" (chief teaching temple of the lineage in Kyushu) by the head temple Honkoku-ji, giving it a central position within the Rokujōmon lineage in Kyushu. Its mountain name is Hosseizan, and its principal object of worship is the Jikkai Mandala.

Highlights

• ●Jōchibyō, the mausoleum dedicated to Katō Kiyomasa
• ●The bronze statue of Kiyomasa standing atop the stone stairway
• ●Temple structures registered as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan
• ●The main hall, holding the rank of Rokujōmon Kyushu Sōdōshi

History

The temple is said to have been founded in 1585 and has since carried on as a temple of the Nichiren Rokujōmon lineage. Within its grounds stands Jōchibyō, the mausoleum dedicated to Katō Kiyomasa, the first lord of the Higo-Kumamoto domain and a devoted follower of Nichiren Buddhism. A long stone stairway rises behind Jōchibyō, leading to a bronze statue of Kiyomasa at the top. Some of the structures on the grounds are also registered as Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan.

Map

32.8169, 130.6894 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Visit the main hall and learn about the temple's standing within the Nichiren Rokujōmon lineage
2. 2Walk to Jōchibyō, the mausoleum linked to Katō Kiyomasa
3. 3Climb the long stone stairway behind Jōchibyō to reach Kiyomasa's bronze statue
4. 4Tour the registered cultural property structures on the grounds while reflecting on the temple's ties to Kumamoto Castle

Did you know?

💡 Honmyō-ji enshrines the Jikkai Mandala as its principal image and is closely associated with devotion to Katō Kiyomasa. Kiyomasa, who also built Kumamoto Castle, is remembered here through Jōchibyō, a testament to his deep faith in Nichiren Buddhism.

Nearby spots