Shōnen-ji Temple

Overview

Shonen-ji is a Pure Land (Jodo-shu) Buddhist temple in Ryuo-shinmachi, Kai City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Its mountain name is Hittoku-zan, and its principal image is a standing wooden statue of Amida Nyorai believed to date from the Muromachi period. Set within the quiet countryside of the Kofu Basin, the temple sits beside the old Koshu Kaido highway that runs north to south past its gate.

Highlights

• ●The principal image, a standing wooden Amida Nyorai (89.7 cm tall) thought to be a Muromachi-period work
• ●The Edo-period Kannon and Seishi Bodhisattva statues flanking the main image
• ●Six rounded stone Jizo statues standing before the main hall
• ●The old-highway atmosphere of the Koshu Kaido passing the temple gate

History

According to temple records in the Kai no Kuni Shaki-Jiki, the temple was founded in 1615 with Shinyo as its founding priest, while a 1955 local history suggests a founding date of 1606. Earlier, this area held Jisho-ji, founded in the Muromachi period, and its branch temple Shinkei-ji; after the branch temple fell into disuse, Shonen-ji is thought to have been established in its place. Because the principal Amida statue appears to be a Muromachi-period work, some believe the temple's origins may reach back into the medieval age.

Map

35.6678, 138.5161 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Walk from Ryuo Station along the Koshu Kaido to the temple gate
2. 2Pay respects to the Amida triad in the main hall and admire its form
3. 3Visit the stone Jizo statues and reflect on their long history
4. 4Stroll along the old highway and enjoy the rural Kai scenery

Did you know?

💡 On the south side in front of the main hall stand six rounded stone Jizo statues. They are said to have belonged to Jizo-in, a branch temple in Akasaka during the Kan'ei era. After Jizo-in was abolished amid the anti-Buddhist movement of the Meiji period, the statues were reused in a stone bridge in Akasaka, then dug out in the Taisho era and moved here.

Nearby spots