Gyokusen-ji

Gyokusen-ji is a Buddhist temple with national historic status located near Mount Fuji, featuring traditional Zen architecture with wooden structures and stone gardens. The complex includes several buildings, among them a memorial hall and a museum housed in multiple rooms that document the early period of Japan-America contact.

The temple was established in the mid-1800s and briefly served as Japan's first American consulate, marking a turning point in Japan-America relations. This early period of diplomatic opening to the West left a lasting mark on the site.

The site holds special meaning as a place where Japan and the West first met as equals during the mid-1800s. Visitors can sense how Eastern and Western traditions came together in this quiet temple setting.

The site is accessible on foot from the train station and features a museum section with multiple exhibition rooms for thorough exploration. Plan enough time to visit all areas of the temple and memorial site at a comfortable pace.

The temple cemetery holds a remarkable testament: graves of sailors from two nations who died at this location during the turbulent 1800s. These burial sites tell of the human cost of early international encounters on Japanese soil.

Location: Kakisaki

Inception: 1573

Website: https://izu-gyokusenji.or.jp

GPS coordinates: 34.67587,138.96242

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:05