About
When you step off at Enoshima Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway, a magnificent temple gate towering before your eyes immediately captures your attention. This is the entrance to Jakkozan Ryukoji Temple, an invitation to a place where history and faith are alive. This site is known as the stage of the “Ryuko-no-Kuchi Persecution,” where Saint Nichiren was once nearly executed, and even now, its spiritual atmosphere lingers.
Upon entering the temple grounds, the first thing that catches your eye is the main hall, built in Tenpo 3 (1832). The dignified appearance of the zelkova-wood structure welcomes visitors across time. Inside the hall, a revered statue of Saint Nichiren is enshrined, surrounded by statues of the six elder monks. Also enshrined here is the “Shikikawa-ishi,” the stone on which Saint Nichiren is said to have sat while awaiting execution, evoking the weight of history.
Leaving the main hall and proceeding through the grounds, you will find the five-story pagoda, completed in Meiji 43 (1910), towering above. It is the only authentic wooden five-story pagoda in Kanagawa Prefecture, and its graceful form impresses all who visit. The interior of the pagoda is adorned with intricate carvings, and this pagoda, which brings together the essence of Japanese architecture, can be called the symbol of Ryukoji Temple.
Walking further through the grounds, you will quietly come upon the earthen prison where Saint Nichiren is said to have been confined. This is the place where, on September 12, 1271, Saint Nichiren was held while awaiting execution, and it continues to convey his indomitable spirit to this day. In front of the earthen prison, there once stood a great white camellia tree, whose branches were said to be covered in pure white blossoms, creating a beautiful scene. Although this sight can no longer be seen, about 1,000 camellia trees bloom on the slope of the hill behind the temple, and in early spring, the temple attracts many people as the “Temple of Camellias.”
During the annual “Ryuko-no-Kuchi Persecution Memorial” held from September 11th to 13th, “Botamochi for Calamity Avoidance” are distributed to visitors, in reference to the black sesame botamochi offered by an old woman to Saint Nichiren as he was on his way to the execution ground. These botamochi are cherished by many as good luck charms for avoiding misfortune. From the evening of the 12th, lanterns are dedicated, and food stalls line the area in front of the gate, enveloping the temple in a lively atmosphere.
Ryukoji Temple is a special sacred head temple that inherits the spirit and teachings of Saint Nichiren, yet it is an open place that anyone can visit, transcending sects and cultures. While fulfilling its role as a place of faith based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, it preserves its historical value and, in a richly natural environment, continues to walk together with the regional culture and people of Shonan, Fujisawa, and Enoshima, weaving the passage of time toward the future.
By visiting this place, you can touch the indomitable spirit and compassionate heart of Saint Nichiren, and find peace of mind and new light. Ryukoji Temple is a radiant temple that gently embraces all who visit, in the flow of time from past to present and into the future.