Kōzen-ji Temple

What it is

• A Soto Zen temple founded by Meiho Sotetsu in 1327.
• The birthplace of the famous manga artist Fujiko Fujio A.
• A designated prayer hall for the Maeda clan since 1632.
• A spiritual site that includes the nearby Karashima Island as a detached precinct.

What to see

• Four stone statues of popular manga characters located on the temple grounds.
• A reconstructed temple gate completed in 2008 following a historical fire.
• A portrait of the feudal lord Maeda Toshiie held within the temple.
• Karashima Island, which is a designated natural monument of Toyama Prefecture.

Getting there

• The temple is a 15-minute walk from JR Himi Station.

Notes written by Japan Gems from facts in Japanese Wikipedia.