長徳寺

Overview

Chotoku-ji is a temple of the Soto Zen school in Hikari, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Its mountain name is Narutanisan, and each year on March 18 its Kannon feast day, known as the Chotoku-ji Ichi (Chotoku-ji Market), draws lively crowds. Set in Hikari facing the Seto Inland Sea, it is a locally rooted old temple that shows two faces: the stillness of Zen and the bustle of a temple fair.

Highlights

• ●The lively Kannon feast day Chotoku-ji Ichi on March 18
• ●The quiet presence of a Soto Zen temple
• ●The evocative mountain name Narutanisan
• ●A locally rooted old temple in Hikari on the Seto Inland Sea

History

Chotoku-ji has been handed down in Hikari as a temple of the Soto Zen school, bearing the mountain name Narutanisan. It is best known for the Kannon feast day held every year on March 18, a day cherished as a local tradition under the name Chotoku-ji Ichi. Tied to devotion to Kannon, the goddess of mercy, this fair speaks of the long bond between the temple and the local community. For details on its founding, it is best to consult official information.

Map

34.0092, 131.9700 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Visit Chotoku-ji in Hikari and begin at the main hall to feel the air of a Zen temple
2. 2Take a slow walk around the precinct and surroundings tied to the mountain name Narutanisan
3. 3Time your visit for March 18 to enjoy the bustle of the Kannon feast day Chotoku-ji Ichi
4. 4Close afterward with a stroll through the coastal scenery of Hikari along the Seto Inland Sea

Did you know?

💡 Part of Chotoku-ji's charm is that, although it is a Soto Zen temple, it is best known for the Kannon feast day Chotoku-ji Ichi. The name of the market has become so bound up with the temple's own name that it shows how deeply the fair has taken root locally. The mountain name Narutanisan, suggesting a valley echoing among the hills, also evokes the character of the land.

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