Shinchoji, Buddhist temple in Gifu, Japan

Shinchoji is a Buddhist temple in Gifu housing a monumental statue within its central hall. This 13.7-meter tall figure is constructed from wood, bamboo, and clay, then covered with golden lacquer and carved Buddhist texts.

Construction of the great statue began in 1790 under the guidance of Ichu, the eleventh temple priest, and was completed in 1832. This decades-long project reflected the religious aspirations of the local Buddhist community.

Shinchoji belongs to the Koyasan Shingon school, not a Zen lineage, and is commonly called Miwa Shaka after its main image, a seated Shakyamuni Buddha carved in the late Heian period and designated an Important Cultural Property. The temple also keeps a stone garden in karesansui style laid out in the early Edo period, said to follow the same style as the garden at Ryoanji. Each year a moon-viewing gathering is held there and the grounds are opened to the public.

Buses from JR Gifu Station's north terminal serve the Miwa Shaka-mae stop: line 12 for the Takami line bound for Chuno Chosha, or line 13 for the Kano Danchi line bound for Miwa Shaka-mae. From Meitetsu Gifu Station, take platform 4 for the same lines. The stop is a few steps from the temple.

The temple is commonly called Miwa Shaka rather than by its formal name, and its stone garden is said to follow the same style as the rock garden of Ryonji in Kyoto. The garden, laid out in the early Edo period, is opened to the public for an annual moon-viewing gathering.