About
Passing through the quiet residential streets of Higashimurayama City in Tokyo and proceeding along a lush green path, the Jizodo Hall of Shofukuji Temple comes into view. This Jizodo Hall, built in the 14th year of the Oei era during the Muromachi period (1407), is the only wooden National Treasure building in Tokyo. Its presence continues to captivate visitors across the ages.
The roof of the Jizodo Hall is in the irimoya-zukuri style, featuring a distinctive wooden shingle (kokera-buki) covering. The eaves elegantly curve upwards, embodying the unique beauty of Zen-style architecture. The exterior is a square with three bays on each side, surrounded by a pent roof called mokoshi, which gives the impression of a double-roofed structure. The roof of the mokoshi is covered with copper plates, creating a striking contrast with the main building.
Inside the hall, the principal image, a standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu, is enshrined. Around it, more than a thousand small Jizo statues, donated since the Edo period, are lined up. For this reason, it is also known locally as the “Hall of a Thousand Jizo,” reflecting the depth of local faith. During the Edo period, there was a custom in which those with wishes would take one small Jizo from the hall, and when their wish was fulfilled, they would return it along with another. As a result, countless small Jizo statues are now enshrined within the hall.
There is a legend associated with the founding of Shofukuji Temple involving Hojo Tokimune, the 8th regent of the Kamakura shogunate. It is said that while Tokimune was falcon hunting in this area, he suddenly fell ill. That night, Jizo Bosatsu appeared to him in a dream and gave him a medicinal pill. Upon waking, Tokimune took the medicine and was immediately cured, so he built the Jizodo Hall in gratitude.
The interior of the Jizodo Hall is open to the public annually on August 8, September 24, and on November 3 for the Jizo Festival. Especially on November 3, the festival features the distribution of small Jizo statues for warding off misfortune, as well as performances of gagaku (court music) and the Urayasu no Mai dance, drawing many worshippers. This festival is a valuable opportunity to pass on the region’s traditions and culture to the present day.
The Jizodo Hall of Shofukuji Temple, standing quietly as a witness to history, leaves a deep impression on all who visit. Its beautiful architecture and the space watched over by countless Jizo Bosatsu offer peace of mind and convey the enduring power of faith across generations.