Shusseki-ji, Buddhist temple in Ōzu, Japan
Shusseki-ji is a Buddhist temple in Ozu featuring the Nyoho-ji Buddha Hall, which contains a shrine with a Shakanyorai image and dragon paintings on its ceiling. The grounds also include a garden with a pond called Fushoike, decorated with lotus flowers and designed for viewing from a study area.
The temple reopened in 1669 under Yasuoki Kato, the second lord of the Ozu Domain, and underwent reconstruction by Zen monk Yotaku Bankei. This rebuilding shaped the appearance and structure visitors see today.
This temple serves as a burial place for seven lords of the Ozu Domain and preserves a statue of Zen monk Yotaku Bankei made from clay containing his ashes. This connection to local rulers makes it an important place for remembering the region's past.
The temple grounds are easy to explore and offer several spots to stop and view, especially in the garden and near the lotus pond. The best time to visit is during pleasant weather when the lotus flowers and pond are at their best.
The grounds feature a Goshiki Chiri Tsubaki camellia tree over 300 years old and Shutendoji trees that grow naturally only in the Ozu Domain. These rare plants make the site botanically special and connect it directly to the region's local environment.
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