Kanpuku-ji, Buddhist temple in Katori, Japan
Kanpuku-ji is a Buddhist temple in Katori, Japan, that includes several prayer halls such as the main hall, a bell tower, and multiple buildings dedicated to Buddhist deities. The complex spreads across quiet grounds with maintained paths connecting the individual structures.
The temple was founded in 890 and grew into an important prayer site for the Chiba clan during medieval times. It later evolved into a regional Buddhist seminary that trained monks and scholars.
The temple preserves four bronze Buddhist statues classified as Important Cultural Properties, transferred here from Katori Shrine during the Meiji era. The site shows the typical separation between Shinto and Buddhist traditions that reshaped religious life during that period.
The temple grounds are located about 25 minutes on foot from JR Sawara Station and remain open throughout the year with no admission fee. Parking is available, and the paths are mostly level and easy to walk.
The temple ranks as one of the three major Kobo Daishi temples in the Kanto region dedicated to protection from bad luck and misfortune. Many visitors come here to participate in special rituals rooted in the Shingon Buddhist tradition.
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