Shohoji temple-Temple with wisteria in full bloom ｜Shiga

What is “Shohoji Temple” like?

Shohoji Temple is located in Kaigake, Hino-cho, Shiga Prefecture.
Kamakake is located in the southeast of Hino-cho and is surrounded by mountains and forests with a lot of greenery.
Shoho-ji Temple is located a short distance from Shakunage Highway in Kamakake.

Hino Dahlia Garden and Omi Hills Golf Club are also located nearby.
To access by public transportation, take the town bus from Omi Railway Hino Station and get off at Kamamasu. (about 25 minutes ride).
After that, it is located about 10 minutes away on foot.
In case of access by car, there is a parking lot with about 45 cars. If the parking lot is full, visitors can also use the parking lot of the nearby Hino Dahlia Garden.
Although many people gather here when the wisteria flowers are at their best, it is still rather a hidden spot in the country.

Let’s go see the beautiful wisteria that is over 300 years old at Shoho-ji Temple.

The temple is commonly known as the “wisteria temple,” and the wisteria is the main attraction.
The temple is lined with numerous wisteria trellises, and it is said that the first abbot of the temple, Zen Master Fuson, brought the seedlings from Kyoto at the beginning of the Genroku period (1688-1704).
The wisteria is over 300 years old, and the best time to view them is in mid-May.
Some of the flower clusters are more than 1 meter long, making them very beautiful.

It is good to take a closer look at the wisteria trellises, but it is also recommended to view the wisteria from the main hall or from the porch.
On a fine day, the wisteria waving faintly in the breeze will make you feel gorgeous.
Why not take advantage of such a fine day and visit Shoho-ji Temple, a wisteria temple?
In mid-May, the buttons at the nearby Hino Dahlia Garden may also be at their best.

Let’s take a look at the precincts of Shoho-ji Temple and all it has to offer! There are some important cultural assets!

This ” Shoho-ji Temple” was not originally located in this area.
It is said that the first abbot, Zenji Fuzun, moved the Kannon Bosatsu (Bodhisattva of Mercy) from an old hall nearby and built a hall here.
The main deity is the eleven-faced Kannon Bosatsu, which is a secret Buddha statue that is opened once every 33 years.
In Kamakake, it has long been deeply worshipped as a guardian of safe childbirth.

Furthermore, there is a stone pagoda designated as an important cultural property on the hillside immediately adjacent to the main hall.
This pagoda was inscribed in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in the 4th year of the Shōwa Era, and is one of the best stone pagodas in Japan.
Take a stroll around the precincts of the temple, where you will find not only wisteria trellises but also other important cultural assets.
The Kamakake area of Hino-cho, as seen from the pagoda, also offers a spectacular view.
Enjoy the surrounding scenery as you walk around the temple grounds.

Access to Shohoji Temple

2145 Kamakake, Hino-cho, Gamo-gun, Shiga 529-1631

Parking around Shohoji Temple

Shohoji Temple Official Website

Official site：https://www.hino-kanko.jp/nature/fuji/

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