Sōken-ji, Buddhist temple and Important Cultural Property in Azuchi, Japan.
Sōken-ji stands on Mount Azuchi near the castle ruins, featuring a preserved three-story pagoda and Niōmon gate that showcase traditional Japanese architectural craftsmanship from the Sengoku period.
Founded between 1573 and 1591 by Oda Nobunaga as part of his Azuchi Castle complex, the temple survived the castle's destruction in 1582 and maintained its presence through regional clan support.
The temple serves as an active Rinzai Zen Buddhist site under the Myōshin-ji branch, hosting annual memorial ceremonies commemorating Oda Nobunaga's death and maintaining his family mausoleum nearby.
Sōken-ji is about a 20-minute walk from Azuchi Station on the JR West Biwako Line, or roughly 10 minutes by rental bicycle and 7 minutes by taxi. Admission is 700 yen for adults and 200 yen for children. The main hall is open only on Sundays and holidays, weather permitting, and a separate 1,200-yen fee applies for special viewing.
The temple incorporates relocated structures from other sites that Nobunaga collected, including gates and pagodas moved from different temples and shrines across the region during its construction.
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