Kisshō-ji

Kisshō-ji is a Soto Zen temple located in the Hon-Komagome neighborhood of Bunkyo ward, Tokyo. The compound includes a bell tower, a library for storing sacred texts, and several wooden halls arranged around open courtyards following classical temple design.

Ota Dokan established the site in 1458 after finding a golden seal inscribed with characters meaning good fortune while digging a well for Edo Castle construction. Centuries later, after a devastating fire swept through the area in 1657, many followers moved westward and founded a new settlement they named after this temple.

During the Edo period, monks gathered here to study Zen teachings in small groups, following a strict daily routine of meditation and scripture reading. The atmosphere today still reflects this contemplative tradition, with quiet courtyards inviting reflection.

The grounds open to visitors during daylight hours and provide a calm space just off the busy streets of Bunkyo ward. Walking from Honkomagome Station on the Namboku subway line takes about seven minutes through residential lanes.

A neighborhood far to the west of here carries the name Kichijoji, borrowed from this temple by settlers who moved there after losing their homes in a 17th-century fire. Though they named their new district after the temple, they never built another one with the same name there.