Shuzen-ji Temple

Overview

Shuzen-ji is a temple of the Soto Zen school located in Shuzenji, Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Its mountain name is Fukuchizan, and its full name is Fukuchizan Shuzen Ban'an Zenji, commonly shortened to Fukuchizan Shuzen-ji. It stands at the center of the Shuzenji hot-spring town.

Highlights

• ●An old temple said to have been founded in 807
• ●A Soto Zen temple bearing the mountain name Fukuchizan
• ●A setting at the heart of the Shuzenji hot-spring town
• ●A literary legacy noted in works by Natsume Soseki and Okamoto Kido

History

According to temple tradition, Shuzen-ji was founded in 807 by Kukai. Its formal name is Fukuchizan Shuzen Ban'an Zenji, and it now belongs to the Soto Zen school. It is well known through Natsume Soseki's essay collection and Okamoto Kido's play "The Tale of Shuzen-ji," and has long been recognized as a literary setting.

Map

34.9715, 138.9276 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Visit Shuzen-ji at the center of the Shuzenji hot-spring town
2. 2Walk the precinct maintained as a Soto Zen temple
3. 3Reflect on the temple's history, said to date from 807
4. 4Stroll the surrounding hot-spring town linked to literary works

Did you know?

💡 Temple tradition holds that Shuzen-ji was founded in 807 by Kukai.

Nearby spots