Hosenji Temple Complete Guide: A Thorough Explanation of Temples Nationwide, Including Waseda, Tsurumi, and Kanazawa
There are several temples named “Hosenji” throughout Japan. Each has its own unique history and characteristics, and has been cherished as a center of local faith. This article focuses on particularly famous Hosenji temples, providing a detailed explanation of their historical background, sectarian characteristics, benefits, and access methods.
Hosenji Temple in Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku Ward: Deep Connections with Waseda University
History and Origins
Hosenji Temple (宝泉寺), located in Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, is a temple belonging to the Tendai sect. Its mountain name is Zen’eizan, its temple name is Ryōshin-in, and its formal name is “Zen’eizan Ryōshin-in Hōsenji.” Its principal image is Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha), and it is said to have been founded in 810 AD (Kōnin 1).
There are various theories regarding the founding of the temple. According to ancient documents such as the *Wakan Sansai Zue* and *Azuma Kagami*, Fujiwara no Hidesato, a military commander of the Heian period, was involved. During the Edo period, the temple possessed a vast tract of land in this surrounding area, most of which later became the grounds of Waseda University. Therefore, the temple is known for its deep connection to the name Waseda.
Relationship with Waseda University
The majority of Hosenji Temple’s land was used as the grounds of Waseda University after the Meiji era. Due to this historical background, Waseda University and Hosenji Temple maintain a close relationship even today.
The temple operates an initiative called “Waseda Terakoya,” collaborating with local residents and Waseda University students to carry out various projects, events, and cleaning activities. As a result, the temple serves not only as a religious facility but also as a place of relaxation and learning for the local community.
A Famous Place for Praying for Success in Waseda University Entrance Exams
Hosenji Temple in Shinjuku Ward is widely known as a temple for praying for success in entrance exams to Waseda University. During exam season, many students and their parents visit to receive prayers for success. The temple’s official website and social media (Instagram, YouTube) provide live streaming every morning from 7:00 AM, making it possible for people from afar to participate in prayers.
This “online prayer” initiative is attracting attention as a new form of modern temple management. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, online prayers and participation in religious services have become an important option for people who find it difficult to visit in person.
Positioning within the Tendai Sect Tokyo Diocese
Hosenji Temple is one of the 163 temples belonging to the Tendai Sect Tokyo Diocese. The Tendai Sect is one of the major sects of Japanese Buddhism, founded by Saicho, and is based on the “One Vehicle” concept, teaching that all people can attain Buddhahood.
As a temple of the Tokyo Diocese, Hosenji Temple plays a central role in local Buddhist activities, deepening its ties with parishioners through memorial services and annual events.
Access and Visiting Information
Location: Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Nearest Station:
- A short walk from Waseda Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line
- A short walk from Waseda Station on the Toden Arakawa Line
Located near the Waseda University campus, it maintains a quiet environment for worship while being in a student town.
Hosenji Temple in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama: Multiple Sects Exist
There are several “Hosenji” temples belonging to different sects in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama.
Tendai Sect Hosenji Temple (Tsurumi-ku)
Hosenji Temple, a Tendai sect temple located in Tsurumi-ku, offers classes in Zen meditation, Buddhist hymns, chanting, Sanskrit calligraphy, and cooking, and operates as a temple open to the community. We offer a wide range of consultations regarding Buddhist matters, including funerals, memorial services, prayers, supplications, astrology, and life counseling.
As a modern temple, we are characterized by offering various programs that incorporate Buddhist teachings into daily life, in addition to traditional Buddhist rituals.
Hosenji Temple (Shimosueyoshi, Tsurumi Ward), Soto Zen School
In Shimosueyoshi, Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama City, lies Hosenji Temple, belonging to the Soto Zen school. Its mountain name is Haseyama, and its official name is “Haseyama Hosenji.”
History: The temple was founded by Kaiin Chisai (died in 1521), with Mamiya Buzen-no-kami Yasutoshi, the local lord, as its patron. After Tokugawa Ieyasu’s entry into the Kanto region, the temple received a shuinjo (official document granting land) of 30 koku and was a head temple with several branch temples.
Sacred Site: As the 18th temple of the Quasi-Chichibu Thirty-Four Kannon Pilgrimage, it is a popular pilgrimage site.
The Soto Zen sect is a branch of Zen Buddhism founded by Zen Master Dogen, emphasizing “Shikantaza,” or simply sitting in meditation.
Hosenji Temple in Kanazawa City: One of Japan’s Three Marishiten Temples
Located in Korai-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Hosenji Temple belongs to the Koyasan Shingon sect and is affectionately known as “Gohonmatsu” (Five Pine Trees).
Center of Marishiten Worship
Hosenji Temple is an important sacred site, counted as one of Japan’s Three Marishiten Temples. Marishiten was originally an Indian deity, considered a deified mirage, and was worshipped as the guardian deity of samurai warriors.
The blessings of Marishiten include the following:
- Good fortune and protection from evil
- Improved luck in competitions
- Business prosperity
- Traffic safety
Annual Events
Hosenji Temple holds various Buddhist services and events throughout the year. The Spring Grand Festival (usually in early April) attracts many visitors.
Location: 57 Koraimachi, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture 920-0836
Phone: 076-252-3319
Located in a convenient location easily accessible from the center of Kanazawa City, it is a popular temple for visitors during Kanazawa sightseeing.
Hosenji Temple in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture: A Temple Specializing in Perpetual Memorial Services
In Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture, there is Hosenji Temple, which specializes in perpetual memorial services. A key feature of this temple is that it offers a perpetual memorial service system with no annual management or maintenance fees.
Memorial Service Forms that Meet Modern Needs
In today’s society, characterized by a declining birthrate, an aging population, and the rise of nuclear families, an increasing number of people are choosing perpetual memorial services due to a lack of successors to their family graves or a desire to avoid burdening their descendants. Hosenji Temple in Nisshin City caters to these modern needs, offering comprehensive services for funerals, memorial services, and other Buddhist rituals.
Perpetual memorial services are burial methods where the temple takes responsibility for perpetual memorial services and management. These services include communal graves and ossuaries without individual tombstones.
Hosenji Temple of the Rinzai Zen Daitokuji School: Eirokuzan Hosenji Temple
There is also “Eirokuzan Hosenji Temple,” belonging to the Rinzai Zen Daitokuji school. The Rinzai school is a branch of Zen Buddhism, focusing on seated meditation (zazen) as its central practice.
Characteristics of Zen Buddhism
The Rinzai school is a branch of Zen Buddhism founded by Zen Master Linji Yixuan of China, and was introduced to Japan by Zen Master Eisai. A distinctive feature of this school is its training method using koans (Zen dialogues) called “Kanna Zen.”
The Daitoku-ji school is a branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, with Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto as its head temple. It has deep ties to the tea ceremony, and many tea masters, including Sen no Rikyu, have practiced Zen meditation there.
Common Characteristics of Hosen-ji Temples Throughout Japan
Meaning of the Name “Hosen”
In Buddhism, the name “Hosen” means “a spring of treasure,” signifying a spring from which the teachings of Buddhism flow endlessly, nourishing people. The existence of temples with this name throughout Japan demonstrates the deep roots of Buddhism in Japanese local communities.
Connections to Local Communities
Every Hosen-ji temple has functioned not merely as a religious institution, but as a center of its local community. During the Edo period, under the temple registration system, temples also played a role in managing the household registration of local residents, closely intertwined with people’s lives.
Even today, each Hosenji temple maintains and develops its ties with the local community through local events, cleaning activities, and educational activities.
Points to Note When Visiting Hosenji Temple
Etiquette for Visiting a Temple
The basic etiquette for visiting a temple is as follows:
- Bow at the Temple Gate: Bow at the temple gate, which is the entrance to the temple, before entering the grounds.
- Purify at the Water Basin: If there is a water basin, purify your hands and mouth.
- Worship at the Main Hall: Join your hands in prayer in front of the main hall and pray quietly.
- Offering a Coin: Offer a coin with sincerity.
- Bow Upon Exit: Turn around and bow when leaving the temple gate.
Collecting Goshuin Stamps
In recent years, collecting Goshuin stamps has become a popular hobby. Each Hosenji temple also offers Goshuin (temple stamps), and temples designated as pilgrimage sites sometimes offer special Goshuin for pilgrims.
Goshuin are not merely commemorative stamps, but sacred items bestowed by the temple as proof of worship. Handle them carefully and keep them safely in your Goshuincho (stamp book).
Characteristics and Teachings of Each Sect
Temples named Hosenji belong to various sects, including Tendai, Soto, Shingon, and Rinzai. Understanding the characteristics of each sect will allow you to more deeply understand the individuality of each temple.
Tendai Sect
A comprehensive sect of Japanese Buddhism founded by Saicho. Its head temple is Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei, and it is based on the “One Vehicle” philosophy. Its fundamental scripture is the Lotus Sutra, and it encompasses all Buddhist practices, including Nembutsu, Zen, Esoteric Buddhism, and precepts.
Soto Sect
A branch of Zen Buddhism founded by Zen Master Dogen. This school emphasizes “Shikantaza,” or simply sitting in meditation. Its main temples are Eiheiji and Sojiji, and it is characterized by the philosophy of “Shusho Itto,” which holds that meditation itself is enlightenment.
Shingon Buddhism
A sect of esoteric Buddhism founded by Kukai (Kobo Daishi). Its head temple is Kongobu-ji on Mount Koya, and its principal deity is Dainichi Nyorai. It teaches attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime through “Sanmitsu Kaji,” which involves chanting mantras, forming mudras (hand gestures), and concentrating the mind.
Rinzai Buddhism
A branch of Zen Buddhism brought to Japan by Zen Master Eisai. It is characterized by its practice of “Kanwa Zen,” which uses koans (Zen dialogues), and famous temples such as Myoshinji, Kenninji, and Nanzenji in Kyoto are known for their Rinzai practices. It had strong ties to the samurai class and influenced tea ceremony and martial arts.
The Role of Temples in Modern Times
Online Prayers and Information Dissemination
An increasing number of temples, such as Hosenji Temple in Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku Ward, are starting to offer live streaming and online prayers using social media and YouTube. This is attracting attention as a new form of worship that suits modern lifestyles.
For parishioners living far away or those who have difficulty visiting temples due to physical reasons, participating in memorial services and offering prayers online has become an important way to maintain their connection with the temple.
As a Place of Learning in the Community
Many Hosenji temples offer various cultural activities and learning opportunities, such as Zen meditation sessions, sutra copying sessions, Buddhist lectures, and cooking classes. Through these activities, more and more people are incorporating Buddhist teachings into their daily lives and gaining peace of mind and guidance for living.
End-of-Life Support
Supporting “end-of-life planning,” such as perpetual memorial services, pre-mortem Buddhist names, and workshops on writing end-of-life notebooks, is also an important role of temples in modern times. In a society with a declining birthrate and aging population, temples are functioning not merely as places for funerals, but also as places to consider how to face the end of life. ## Hosenji Temple in the Edo Period: As Seen in the “Edo Meisho Zue” (Illustrated Guide to Famous Places of Edo)
The Edo period geographical guide, “Edo Meisho Zue,” depicts Hosenji Temple as it was at the time. It is introduced as a famous place in the Edo area, indicating that it was a temple visited by many worshippers even then.
During the Edo period, temples functioned not only as religious facilities but also as educational institutions (terakoya), medical facilities, and centers of cultural dissemination. Temples with temple lands were economically prosperous and wielded significant influence in their local communities.
Summary: The Diversity and Universality of Hosenji Temple
There are multiple temples named “Hosenji” throughout Japan, each with its own unique history and characteristics. These include a Tendai sect temple in Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku Ward, known for prayers for success in Waseda University entrance exams; a Shingon sect temple in Kanazawa, revered as one of Japan’s three Marishiten temples; a multi-sect temple in Tsurumi Ward, Yokohama; and temples in various locations engaged in perpetual memorial services and community activities. Their forms are diverse.
However, what all Hosenji temples have in common is that they have conveyed the teachings that spring forth from the “treasure fountain” of Buddhism, and have functioned as spiritual pillars for their local communities. Even in modern times, they continue to be close to people’s hearts in a way that is in line with the times, through new initiatives such as online prayers.
By visiting Hosenji temples throughout Japan, you can experience the richness and diversity of Japanese Buddhist culture, as well as the depth of history in each region. Why not visit the nearest Hosenji temple according to your purpose, such as praying for success in exams, good fortune and protection from evil, or ancestral memorial services?
