長興寺, Buddhist temple in Tahara, Japan.
Chokoiji is a Zen Buddhist temple in Tahara with multiple structures including a main hall, bell tower, and gates set among maple trees. The buildings are arranged across the grounds in a way that separates different functional areas for worship and daily activities.
The temple was founded in 1245 during the Kamakura period and underwent several shifts in religious affiliation, moving from Tendai Buddhism to Rinzai Buddhism. By 1482 it became established as a Soto Zen Buddhist institution, shaping its practices and structure that continue today.
The temple serves as a sacred space for devotion to Kannon, a Buddhist deity of compassion, and its layout reflects how such sites function as places for prayer and reflection in the local community. The seasonal changes in the gardens shape how people visit and use the grounds throughout the year.
The temple is accessible by bus from Mikawa-Tahara Station on the Toyohashi Railway Atsumi Line heading toward the Okubo district. Once in the area, the site is walkable and can be reached on foot from nearby bus stops.
The grounds hold the burial site of the Toda clan family graves, arranged in a row facing south along the western side of the complex. This arrangement reveals how secular families maintained strong ties to the temple.
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