Zushi's Hoshi-ji Temple

An unexpected gem along the way

Steve Morton Feb 18, 2016 - 1 min read

Your first view of this temple for anyone traveling south via the Kamakura - Kinubariyama Hiking Course

This peaceful section of Hoshoji Temple feels a world away from civilization

A 'torii' (gate), where a staircase leads up to the top of a small hill

At the top of this hill are several monuments including this miniature 5 story pagoda

You can see the main temple building through the trees when walking down this narrow staircase

Despite being a small temple there are several interesting carvings

As well as interesting stone and wooden carvings you can see several unusual metallic depictions of creatures on the temple roof

A close up of the inner roof reveals a dragon

Similar to many other temples in nearby Kamakura, a carved dragon illustration can be found on the outer ceiling of the main temple

A series of stone staircases descends down a hill leading to the main entrance which is at street level

The official front entrance, located at the foot of a steep hill

A close up of the inner roof shows three Japanese characters, the last one meaning monkey, for which this temple is famous for

The small but impressive Hoshoji Temple is one of Kanagawa's great hidden cultural gems. Although technically located within Zushi city, this temple forms the end point of the Kamakura-Kinubariyama Hiking trail, providing a great end to an interesting day.

Established in around the 13^th Century, this temple is believed to be built on the exact spot where a Nichiren Priest who was fleeing persecution by a rival sect was helped by a group of white monkeys.

When exploring this temple the importance of these monkeys soon becomes apparent!

Steve Morton @steve.morton138

Yokohama based content creator, editor, and researcher. Steven likes, eating, reading and traveling on a streamlined budget guaranteed to make any self-respecting local gulp. When not too busy with work assignments, Steven attempts to not get lost while following Japanese tourist maps.Follow me o...