Sojiji Temple
大本山總持寺
One of the two head temples of the Japanese Soto Zen school, with a Great Ancestral Hall that can hold a thousand people. The monastic atmosphere is strong, and entry is free.
Sojiji Temple is one of the two head temples of the Soto Zen school, alongside Eiheiji in Fukui. It was originally in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, and moved to Tsurumi, Yokohama, in 1911. The temple grounds cover about 150,000 square meters, with the main gate, Buddha Hall, and Great Ancestral Hall arranged along the hillside. The Great Ancestral Hall has about 1,000 tatami mats and is one of the largest Buddhist halls in Japan. You often see monks chanting sutras and sweeping the grounds. Visiting the temple grounds is free. A guided tour of the interior with a monk costs about ¥500 (check times in advance), and zazen (seated meditation) experiences are also available. It is about a 7-minute walk from the west exit of JR Tsurumi Station.
Opening hours
Grounds open all day; visits approx. 09:00–16:00
Nearby sights
- Kirin Brewery Yokohama Factory
- Yokohama Bay Bridge
- Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum
- Osanbashi Pier
- CupNoodles Museum Yokohama
- Yokohama Anpanman Children's Museum
- Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse
- Yokohama Cosmo World