After leaving Kofukuji Temple, we walked southwest for a couple of blocks. Our map showed several less prominent Chinese temples within walking distance. Soon we reached the first entrance. A small sign provided minimal information about the Koei-zan Choshoji Temple. It should be noted that our map labeled it merely as Choshoji. There was no admission fee.
The complex was built in 1631. At that time, Buddhist sects were orderd by the Tokugawa Shogunate to build one temple each along the Temple Street. (Teramachi-dori). The temple is affiliated with the Nichiren School of Buddhism that originated in the 13th century. Their main object of worship is The True, Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha.
We immediately saw a beautiful garden. Unfortunately, due to a lack of additional signage and information online, I cannot say much about this place other than it is worth visiting.
We had the place to ourselves. It was a treat.
Even though we found the architecture and the surroundings to be interesting, It was frustrating since we wanted to know more about what we were encountering.
We went back to the street and within minutes we found the entrance to the Kotaiji Temple. We were lucky to get a rare shot of the two of us in front of this picturesque setting.
We continued to explore and admire the setting even though we didn’t have any details.
All of the Chinese temples we visited in Japan had cemeteries and shrines for the deceased. This place followed that layout.
We found these hidden treasures inside one of the buildings.
We returned to the street and walked a bit more before we turned right onto Sofukuji-Dori. Eventually, we saw another temple. It was also empty. We could not find any signage. We explored the grounds and snapped a few more pictures.
After I returned home, I did Google searches and found the name, Daikoji Temple. Unfortunately, I could not find any pertinent facts.
Taking time to explore on your own is a vital part of traveling abroad. Some of my best travel adventures are when I let my steps dictate my journey. With only 10 hours in port, our time was limited. Little did I know that our walking excursion would take us to incredible temples that only a few find time to visit. If you’re interested in history and are looking to avoid crowds, check out these Chinese temples in Nagasaki.
Travel Question
- Can you provide any additional information about these temples? If so, please feel free to comment.
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Sandra’s Bio
Sandra Bornstein is the author of MAY THIS BE THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE. It is available on Amazon. Sandra’s memoir highlights her living and teaching adventure in Bangalore, India. She is a licensed Colorado teacher who has taught K-12 students in the United States and abroad as well as college level courses. Sandra is married and has four adult sons. The memoir was a finalist in the Travel category for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the 2013 International Book Awards, the 2013 National Indie Book Excellence Awards, the 2013 USA Best Book Awards, and received an Honorable Mention award in the Multicultural Non-Fiction category for the 2013 Global ebook Awards.
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