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“Temple of Flowers” in Yokohama: The Storied History of Ryuge-ji Temple
花と歴史に包まれる場所〜横浜の龍華寺
Located just an 11-minute walk from Kanazawa-Hakkei Station on the Keikyu Line — itself only about a 40-minute ride from Shinagawa Station in Tokyo — Ryuge-ji Temple is one of Yokohama’s many Buddhist temples.
I stumbled upon Ryuge-ji by chance, while walking between the station and my client’s meeting site. After wrapping up a business meeting — one that, unfortunately, didn’t go as I’d hoped — I wasn’t in a hurry to return to the office. Instead, I found myself wandering toward this peaceful temple, along with the Shinto shrine next door, as a way to clear my head.
Ryuge-ji is an ancient temple that has stood here in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, for more than 830 years. It was first established in 1189 as Hogan-ji Temple in the nearby Mutsuura mountains. After the original structure burned down in 1499, it was merged with two other temples, giving rise to the Ryuge-ji Temple we know today.
Throughout its long history, Ryuge-ji has acquired many valuable cultural treasures, including intricate carvings, sculptures, historical documents, scriptures, and paintings — many passed down from the temples with which it merged. Five of these treasures are designated as Yokohama City Designated and Registered Cultural Properties. Among them is the only seated Bodhisattva statue in eastern Japan made of dry lacquer, with origins dating back to the Tenpyo period (729–749).
Today, the temple grounds are cherished by the local community as a place to enjoy seasonal flowers. From late March to early April, visitors can admire Omuro cherry blossoms, a rare variety in the Kanto region. In May, the temple’s peonies come into bloom, followed by vibrant hydrangeas in June. These seasonal displays have earned Ryuge-ji the affectionate nickname “Temple of Flowers” among locals.
- Location: Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Japan
- Timestamp: 2025/01/09 17:09
- Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
- ISO 2500 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/7.1
- Classic Negative film simulation
References:
- Google Maps: Ryugeji Temple・龍華寺
- Ryugeji Temple Website (Japanese)
- Kanagawa Prefectural Government: Ryugeji Temple (English)
- Kannon Power: Tenpyo Buddha of Ryugeji Temple (Japanese)
- Internet Museum Office: enpyo Buddha of Ryugeji Temple (Japanese)
- City of Yokohama: Ryugeji Temple (Japanese)
- Wikipedia: Ryugeji Temple (Japanese)
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