KanagawaLeisure

Soun-ji Temple (早雲寺)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Hakone-Yumoto Station (箱根湯本駅)Next stop: Autumn Leaf Stroll: Hakone-Yumoto Hot-Spring Town and the Hayakawa River (箱根湯本温泉街・早川沿いの紅葉さんぽ)

About this spot

An old temple of the Daitoku-ji school of the Rinzai sect, built in 1521 at the request of Hojo Soun's last will, about a 15-minute walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station. It preserves the graves of five generations of the Hojo clan and a dry landscape garden said to have been created by Hojo Gennan. The grounds welcome visitors at any time and are open every day. Viewing of the main hall (and its temple treasures) is only offered on select days each November.

Tips

The dates for viewing the main hall vary by year, so check in advance if you'd like your visit to line up with it. The grounds are a quiet spot, so take your time walking through and soaking in the history.