Shinkō-in Temple

Overview

Shinko-in is a temple of the Soto Zen school in the Miyazawa area of Minami-Alps City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Its mountain name is Tentaku-san and its principal image is Shakyamuni Buddha. Sometimes also written Shinko-in with different characters, it is a parent temple with a branch temple, Shoun-in, and is counted among the Kai 108 Pilgrimage Sites.

Highlights

• ●The calm precincts of a Soto Zen temple bearing the mountain name Tentaku-san
• ●The stillness of a main hall enshrining Shakyamuni Buddha
• ●Its standing as a parent temple to the branch temple Shoun-in
• ●The pilgrimage air of a Kai 108 sacred site

History

As a Soto Zen temple, Shinko-in has kept the flame of the Dharma in Miyazawa, enshrining Shakyamuni Buddha under the mountain name Tentaku-san. Serving as the parent temple to its branch, Shoun-in, it long held a certain standing in the area. Its inclusion among the Kai 108 Pilgrimage Sites shows that it has drawn pilgrims and local devotion since early times.

Map

35.5857, 138.4696 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Arrive at Shinko-in in Miyazawa, Minami-Alps City, and bow at the mountain gate before entering
2. 2Pay respects at the main hall enshrining Shakyamuni Buddha
3. 3Offer a quiet prayer as at a Kai 108 pilgrimage station
4. 4Close the visit by gazing over the rural scenery and the ridgelines of the Southern Alps

Did you know?

💡 The temple's name has been written with varying characters over the centuries, and that very variation speaks of its long history. As a station on the Kai 108 Pilgrimage, it also rewards those interested in goshuin seals and pilgrimage culture.

Nearby spots