Sekihoji Temple (石峰寺) Temple associated with Ito Jakuchu

Sekihoji Temple is a temple of the Őbaku school of Zen Buddhism. The temple has distinctive Chinese-style gates, which is a characteristic of Obaku School. It is the place where Ito Jakuchu built a hamplet and spent the last years of his life. You can find his cemetery in the temple ground (there is his another grave in Shokokuji Temple).

On the mountain behind the main hall of the temple, there are stone statues of 500 arhats (followers of Buddha) and others made under Jakuchu Ito. This is a very interesting place, as the stone statues represent scenes from the birth to the death of Buddha. Jakuchu Ito was not a scalpter but a painter. Jakuchu drew the Five Hundred Arhats and stonemasons made them.

Unfortunately, you cannot take photos of them. So please visit the Sekihoji Temple website to see them.

Every year on September 10, the anniversary of Ito Jakuchu’s death, Sekihoji Temple exhibits Jakuchu’s paintings from its collection. More than 10 of Jakuchu’s works, including his famous tiger paintings, will be on display. This is a unique opportunity to see a large number of works by Jakuchu Ito.

Sekihoji is within 10 minutes walk from famous Fushimi Inari shrine, but only few tourists visit this temple.

Nearby spots

The Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, which is very popular for its 1,000 vermilion Torii gates, is very close by.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (伏見稲荷大社)

The nearby Hotoji Temple, despite having a treasure tower designated as an important cultural asset, is still rarely visited by tourists.

Hotoji Temple (宝塔寺)