Kenchou-ji Temple

Kencho-ji Temple is the head temple of the Kencho-ji Temple sect of the Rinzai-shu school of thought in Buddhism, which is located in North Kamakura. It is said to be the first Zen temple in Japan built by high priest Lanxi Daolong who was invited from the Song dynasty by Hojo Tokiyori in the year 1253. Kencho-ji Temple was designated as the “first rank of Kamakura’s Five Temples”, the highest status among Kamakura Zen temples based on the "five-mountain system" established at the time of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu during the Muromachi period. The 730 year-old juniper tree in front of the Buddha hall is a symbol of this temple’s long history. Seasonal plants and flowers such as cherry blossoms in front of the Sanmon gate, hydrangea and autumn leaves are also notable, and the temple becomes crowded with many tourists during the blooming season. There is a statue of the Hansobo guardian and 12 large and small Tengu at the back of the temple, and because the view is nice, you can see Mt. Fuji from there on a clear day.