Nagoya, Japan Temple Visit Report 2026 Showa No.1 Zenshoji
Zenshoji Temple Visit (Ishibotoke-cho), Japan
I usually do not visit Buddhist temples. Many local temples in Japan are not tourist sites—they are places centered on memorial services and family graves. When I have no connection to the people being honored there, I sometimes feel I should not enter.
Also, many temples keep their gates closed, and I do not see them as spaces where I can casually introduce stone items through japanstones.shop.
However, Zenshoji was open. After visiting the neighboring shrine (Hakusansha), I noticed a Jizo figure and felt drawn to step inside.
This neighborhood name is Ishibotoke-cho, a place name that can be read as “stone Buddha.” Walking here gave me a glimpse of an earlier era when Japanese Shinto and the Buddhism that arrived in Japan were closely intertwined.
Local storytelling also connects this area to the age of Nagoya Castle construction. A folk tale says a stoneworker lost his sight while trying to split a huge stone; fearing a curse, he carved a Jizo from the stone and enshrined it—then his eyesight returned. Whether fact or legend, stories like this help explain why stone devotion remains so present in this district.
Visited on: 2026-02-16 (JST)
Photos
Zenshoji Grounds
A quiet corner of the grounds. Even in a residential area, the atmosphere changes the moment you step inside.
Paths, trees, and stonework layered over time—small details add up when you look closely.
Zenshoji Jizo Hall
The Jizo hall. This was the place that first caught my attention from next door.
Jizo Figures Inside the Hall
Multiple Jizo figures inside the hall. You can feel how many different prayers have accumulated here.
Gorinto Beside the Jizo Hall
A gorinto (five-ring stupa) beside the hall. A family name was carved into the stone, so I understood it as a grave marker.
Rows of Jizo at Zenshoji
To the right is the cemetery area. It is a private space, so I did not enter.
Timeline
| Year (AD) | Event |
|---|---|
| 1610 | Construction of Nagoya Castle begins (often used as the historical backdrop for local stone-related folklore in this area). |
| 1610s (tradition) | A local folk tale says a stoneworker lost his sight while trying to split a massive stone for castle-related transport; fearing a curse, he carved and enshrined a Jizo figure and then recovered his eyesight. The Jizo is said to be cared for at Zenshoji. |
| 1615 | Tradition says a small hermitage that housed a “stone Kannon” was named Jiunun by a monk (Kikko Osho), forming an early origin story for the site. |
| (date unknown) | Tradition says the temple name became Jiununzan Zenshoji, linked to the name of a retiree associated with this land (Hattori Soichiro Zensho). |
| 1880 | It is said that, during the period of Shinto–Buddhist separation, the neighboring shrine (Hakusansha) was separated from the Zenshoji side and moved to its present position. |
| (date unknown) | A Senju Kannon (Thousand-Armed Kannon) stone statue (about 70.9 in / 180 cm) is said to be enshrined as a hidden Buddha; it is also said that no one has seen its actual form. |
| (date unknown) | A “Meaki Jizo” is introduced as being on the grounds, and it is said to be venerated for healing eye diseases. |
Principal Image
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Soto Zen |
| Principal Image | Shakyamuni Buddha |
| Temple Name | Jiununzan Zenshoji |
Ishibotoke Kannon Hall (Hidden Senju Kannon)
The core tradition at Zenshoji is the story of the “Ishibotoke Kannon.” A Senju Kannon stone statue (about 70.9 in / 180 cm) is said to be enshrined as a hidden Buddha, and it is also said that no one has seen its actual form. When a temple’s identity is built around something unseen, it reveals how deep and layered the local faith can be.
Meaki Jizo
A figure known as “Meaki Jizo” is introduced as being on the grounds, and it is said to be venerated for healing eye diseases. It is also said to be part of the origin story behind the old place name connected to “stone Buddha.”
However, I could not identify which statue was specifically “Meaki Jizo.” There are many older and newer Jizo figures here, and I believe the only reliable way to confirm it would be to ask the priest directly.
Walking through the grounds, I felt that this place name is not just an address—it is a name shaped by stone and faith over a long period of time.
Stone Works on the Grounds
Across Zenshoji, stone figures and memorial stones appear in many forms and sizes. Each one feels like a container of time—quiet, durable, and accumulated. Even within a dense city neighborhood, the amount of information carried by stone is surprisingly high.
Closing Thoughts
A shrine and a temple standing side by side, boundaries reorganized by changing eras, and yet the same local devotion continuing underneath—this area feels like a layered archive. The stone objects here work like tree rings of the neighborhood. And like granite stone, they hold memory through their hardness and permanence.
Nagoya, Japan Shrine Visit Report 2026 Showa No.22 Hakusansha
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Written on: 2026-02-20 (JST)