Chōshō-ji, Buddhist temple in Itako, Japan

Chōshō-ji is a Rinzai-shū Myōshin-ji school temple in Itako, Ibaraki Prefecture, set against Inariyama hill near JR Itako Station. Its two-storey rōmon gate and thatched, irimoya-roofed Buddha hall, which enshrines Amida Nyorai, are Zen-style structures; the kuri and shoin date from the Genroku era.

Founded by Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1185 to pray for military success, Chōshō-ji belongs to the Rinzai Myōshin-ji school. In 1691 Tokugawa Mitsukuni had the decaying halls repaired and installed the Zen master Taiyaku Soshin as restorer-founder; the shogunate granted the temple a 10-koku seal. The main hall and gate were dismantled and repaired in 1984.

The temple belongs to the Rinzai Myōshin-ji school and is dedicated to Amida Nyorai. Its name is read Chōshō-ji, and the hill behind it is called Inariyama. In the grounds stands the Funji-bai, an old plum tree named after the Bunji era (1185) of the temple's founding, alongside a stone monument inscribed with Matsuo Bashō's verse about the first winter shower.

The temple is open daily from sunrise to sunset and is reachable via local bus service from Itako station. Visitors should wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared to show respect for any ceremonies that may be taking place during their visit.

The temple's bronze bell, cast in 1330, was donated by Hōjō Takatoki, the 14th regent of the Kamakura shogunate, for the repose of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the temple's founder. Its inscription by the Chinese monk Kiyotaka Shōjō includes the phrase "客船夜泊常陸蘇城", evoking Itako's prosperity as a port. It was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1911.