Honko-ji Temple (Shimabara)

What it is

• A Soto Zen temple serving as the family burial site for the Fukumizu Matsudaira clan
• Founded in 1523 in Mikawa Province and moved to its current location in 1669
• The site preserves the history of the successive feudal lords of the Shimabara domain

What to see

• A city-designated temple gate that was completed in 1690
• Sixteen stone Arhat statues located on the grounds dating back to 1739
• The Tokiwa History Museum displaying clan artifacts and a 15th-century world map
• The graves of the feudal lords who ruled the Shimabara region

When to go

• The history museum is open for visitors daily from 9:00 to 17:00

Getting there

• The temple is a five-minute drive from Shimabara Station

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.