Kōzanji Temple

Kozanji Temple in Shimonoseki was founded in 1327 and its Butsuden Hall, dated to 1320, is the oldest Karayō-style structure in Japan with a recorded construction date, making it a National Treasure. The temple became a turning point in Japanese history on January 12, 1865, when revolutionary samurai Takasugi Shinsaku rallied a force of just 80 men here against the pro-shogunate faction within the Choshu domain. His Kōzanji Uprising helped purge those loyalists, a step that led directly to the Meiji Restoration. A bronze statue of Takasugi on horseback still stands on the grounds.