Ganjoji Temple

願成寺

4.3Est. 90Kumamoto, Kyushu

JTA Approved

Overview

The Sagara family governed the Hitoyoshi Kuma region for nearly 700 years, promoting peace and prosperity and successfully navigating the ups and downs of history.

Ganjoji Temple in Hitoyoshi was founded in 1233 by Sagara Nagayori, the patriarch of a family that governed the surrounding region for nearly 700 consecutive generations. Nagayori placed the temple to the northeast of Hitoyoshi Castle following a tradition that temples should protect against ill fortune believed to flow from that direction. The cemetery behind the main hall holds graves of 37 Sagara family heads, marked by stone stupas and pagodas in styles spanning the centuries. The Kiyomizu Kannon Hall on the grounds is the first stop on the Sagara 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, a circuit popular since the Edo period.

Local tips

Remove shoes before entering any hall. Look for a shoe rack at the entrance. Carry a plastic bag for your shoes if none is provided.

Practical info

Japanese name: 願成寺
Nearest station: Kumamoto Station (20 min bus)
Payment: Cash only
Reservations: not required

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