Hōgon-ji, Buddhist temple on Chikubu Island, Nagahama, Japan
Hōgon-ji is a temple on Chikubushima Island in Lake Biwa and connects several buildings through a raised walkway known as the Funa-roka. The complex includes the Karamon Gate, the Kannon Hall, and other structures distributed in tiers along the hillside.
Emperor Shōmu and the monk Gyōki founded the temple in 724 as a center of Buddhist devotion on the small lake island. The site later received National Treasure status for its buildings from different periods.
The temple holds regular Fudo Goma fire rituals and offers shojin ryori vegetarian cuisine experiences, maintaining traditional Buddhist practices.
Boats depart from Nagahama or Imazu and bring visitors to the island, where they climb steps to reach the temple. The site is not accessible to wheelchairs, and a visit usually takes one to two hours.
The Karamon Gate came from Osaka Castle and was built under Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 16th century. Today it is the only surviving element from that original fortress.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
