Hōji-ji, Buddhist temple in Atsuta-ku, Japan.
Hōji-ji is a Buddhist temple in Atsuta-ku featuring traditional Japanese architecture with multiple gates, Buddha statues, and stone lanterns scattered throughout its grounds. The site is arranged along Fushimi-dori avenue with several buildings and landscaped areas containing various religious monuments.
The temple began as a Fujiwara clan villa from the late Heian period before being converted into a religious sanctuary following a donation made in honor of Minamoto no Yoritomo. This transformation marked the shift from a private residence to a place of Buddhist worship and practice.
The temple remains an active place where Buddhist rituals and prayers are performed daily, with ritual cleansing areas and stone monuments reflecting ongoing spiritual traditions. Visitors can observe how the grounds serve as a quiet space for meditation and religious observance.
The temple is situated near Atsuta Shrine and Shirotori Garden and provides parking facilities on-site for visitors. The location makes it convenient to explore multiple religious sites in the Nagoya area in a single visit.
The temple grounds hold an unusual stone statue that resembles a sumo wrestler among its collection of Buddhist figures and monuments. This unexpected figure reflects the rich and sometimes surprising diversity found in the temple's art collection.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
