Shōfuku-ji, Buddhist temple in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan
Shōfuku-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in the Gokushōmachi neighborhood of Hakata, Fukuoka. Its main buildings—the sanmon gate, butsuden (Buddha hall), and hondō—stand in a straight line, a typical Zen layout. The precincts, rebuilt mostly in the Edo period, are a National Historic Site.
The temple was founded in 1195 by monk Eisai and stands as the first Zen monastery established in Japan. This founding marked a turning point in how Buddhism developed within the country, introducing meditation practices that shaped Japanese religious life.
The temple's name comes from its role as Japan's first Zen training center, and its sangō Ankokuzan appears on the gate plaque in calligraphy by Ashikaga Shizan. The surrounding neighborhood preserves medieval names from the temple's market town, such as Nakakoji, Uomachi and Hasuike. The sub-temple Gosho-in houses a seated statue of Eisai.
Shōfuku-ji is a three-minute walk from Gion Station on the Fukuoka City Subway Airport Line. The grounds are open to visitors, but the interiors of the halls are generally not open to the public and are shown only during events. The main gate, Buddha Hall and main hall stand in a straight line.
The plaque reading "Fusō Saisho Zenkutsu" (Japan's first Zen cave) on the sanmon gate is traditionally attributed to Emperor Go-Toba's own brush. The temple received this and a "Hōjō" inscription in 1204, when the complex was completed.
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