What other travelers are saying about Shofukuji Temple
Find your peace here!
This temple is in the middle of a beautiful park and near Gion subway station. It’s well maintained and simply beautiful.
It was impressively empty with a few locals there.
a large and tranquil temple complex and is believed to be the first Zen temple in Japan. a couple of magnificent wooden temples / buildings around, but all are not open to the public. after visiting the busy Tochoji Temple, we enjoyed the moment of quietness and calmness, and we wandered into the well-maintained garden with shady trees.
Shofukuji Temple is probably the earliest or the oldest Zen Sect Temple in Japan, and it was built in 1195, although its current Sanmon Gate was built in 1911. It worships Triad Buddhas for the Buddha of the Past, of the Present [which is Shakyamuni Buddha], and of the Future as main deities, and for Japanese Zen Buddhism, Three Buddhas are Shaka, Amida, and Miroku.
While the Temple seems to be intended to preserve its original building structures, garden, ponds, and others as much as possible, the Temple does show signs of aging and damage in the Temple yard/site, especially for the area around the pond.
Temple is free of charge for entrance, though there is NO bathroom or toilet inside the Temple. The Temple is in close walking distance from Tochoji Temple, but the road signs for the Shofukuji Temples are NOT well marked or posted for every major road which can be connected to the Temple.
It is more serene than the other temples in Fukuoka, especially more serene than Kushida Shrine, that place was absolutely crowded. Saw a citrus (I will not call it orange because I might be wrong.) tree and took some pictures. Near the river we saw train.
it is the oldest zen temple in Japan. we spent quite sometime here because the temple compound was so beautiful and serene. it had a conservative history though, connected to statesmen complicit in the WW II.
The main attractions of Shofukuji Temple include its beautiful Zen gardens, ancient temple buildings, the large wooden sanmon gate, and the tranquil atmosphere conducive to meditation and reflection.
Shofukuji Temple is historically significant as the first Zen temple in Japan, established by the monk Eisai, who introduced the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism to the country. It played a crucial role in the spread of Zen practices and teachings.
Yes, Shofukuji Temple offers opportunities for visitors to participate in Zen meditation sessions (zazen). It’s recommended to check the temple’s schedule or contact them in advance for details.
The best time to visit Shofukuji Temple is during the spring and autumn months when the weather is mild, and the temple gardens are particularly beautiful with cherry blossoms or fall foliage.
Shofukuji Temple is easily accessible by public transportation. The nearest station is Gion Station on the Fukuoka City Subway Kūkō Line. From there, it’s a short walk to the temple.
