Gyokusen-ji, Buddhist temple in Nagahama, Japan.
Gyokusen-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nagahama featuring traditional wooden structures arranged around a central prayer area. The site includes multiple halls, quiet meditation gardens, and various decorative elements that reflect religious life throughout the grounds.
A monk named Ryōgen founded the temple around the year 1000, when Buddhism was spreading rapidly through the Japanese countryside. The site experienced expansions and changes over centuries, showing its ongoing importance to the region.
The temple belongs to the Tendai school and is dedicated to Jie Daishi, the monk Ryōgen (912–985), known as Gensan Daishi. Its mountain name is Eikōzan. The main image is a seated wooden statue of Ryōgen, designated an Important Cultural Property by the national government.
The temple stands at 945 Mikawacho, Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, in a residential area east of the city center. Local buses run from Nagahama Station, but the stop is not directly at the gate, so check the route before setting out. The grounds are compact and mostly level, with a short walk from the entrance to the main hall.
The temple's main image is a seated statue of Jie Daishi (Ryōgen, 912–985), the monk credited with founding it; the wooden sculpture is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property. Ryōgen is also known as Ganzan Daishi, and the temple's mountain name is Eikō-zan.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,657 contributors worldwide.