Closed Day | ①April 27th ②August 10th ③December 20th - January 7th |
Opening Times | 10:00~16:00 The principal image is open to the public. |

to see the explanation
to see an explanation


There is "Amida Buddha" who protects those born in the year of the dog.
There is "Amida Buddha" who protects those born in the year of the pig.
There is "Fudo Myoo(Acala,wisdom king)" who protects those born in the year of the bird.
Honzon (Principal image of the Buddha) |
Yakushi Nyorai(Bhaisajyagur,Medicine Buddha)
|
school | Shingon school |
Founder (a person who provided financial support for the construction of a temple or a well-known person who lent support) | Houjou Sadatoki(The 9th Regent of the Kamakura Shogunate) |
Kaisan (the monk who first founded the temple, the first chief priest) | Chikai Shin'e |
Sangou (the name that is added before the name of the temple) | Jubusen |
Spring | |
Summer | Hydrangea(May to July) |
Fall | |
Winter | Maple(November to December) |
Kamakura 13 Nyorai Buddhas, No. 11 | Ashuku nyorai (Akshobhya) |
It is in the Aizen-do(hall) |
Kamakura 24 jizo Bodhisattva, No. 3 | Kuro jizo bodhisattva |
It is in the jizo-do(hall) (If you want to know more about jizo bodhisattva,Click Here) |
It is said that the Yakushido Hall was built in 1218 by Hojo Yoshitoki(the second regent of the Kamakura Shogunate). [It is said that the Dog God (also known as Basara Taisho, one of the 12 divine generals) appeared in Hojo Yoshitoki's dream , which prompted him to build the Yakushido Hall.]
In 1296, Hojo Sadatoki (the 9th regent of the Kamakura Shogunate) prayed for the Mongol invasion to be prevented again,and invited Chikai Shin'e to rebuild this Yakushido as "Kakuon-ji Temple" .
(If you want to know more about Chikai Shin'e ,Click Here)
There are various theories, but according to the Azuma Kagami and Kakuonji Engi, the Dog God, one of the 12 divine generals, appeared in a dream to Hojo Yoshitoki(the second regent of the Kamakura Shogunate).
The Dog God told him, " This year was safe, but next year, it would be better not to join the procession when the Shogun visits the shrine."
Hojo Yoshitoki was surprised and built the Yakushido Hall to be protected by the 12 divine generals .
The following year, a ceremony was held at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine to celebrate Minamoto no Sanetomo (the third Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate) as the Minister of the Right.Hojo Yoshitoki also attended, but due to poor health he asked Minamoto no Nakaaki to take his place.However, Minamoto no Nakaaki, who acted as a substitute, was killed by Kugyo (the third son of Minamoto no Yoriie, the second Shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate) along with Minamoto no Sanetomo.
Hojo Yoshitoki wondered if the dog god had warned him about this and helped him.
So when Hojo Yoshitoki visited the Okura Yakushido to express his gratitude, he heard that for some reason, the dog god, one of the 12 divine generals, had disappeared since the time of the incident . Therefore, it became known that the dog god of the 12 divineg enerals had protected Hojo Yoshitoki from disaster.
The main hall is
① a straw-thatched, hipped-roofed (a Japanese architectural style with a roof that slopes in four directions);
② although it is not a Zen temple, it is built in the " Zenshu-yo "(Zen-sect-style) (one of Japan's traditional architectural styles. An architectural style that was introduced from China, Northern Song Dynasty)
③" five spaces" (There are five walls on the front and sides and pillars on each side)
① It is said that Emperor Godaigo used Kakuon-ji Temple as a "kiganji (A temple where people make wishes to Buddha is called a prayer temple.)
② It is said that the Ashikaga clan used Kakuon-ji Temple as a " kiganji "
③ It is said that the Hojo clan (Kamakura Shogunate and regents) worshipped it .
The temple grounds are a national historic site.
( If you want to know more about a national historic site, Click Here)
It is a national important cultural property.
(If you want to know more about Yakushi Nyorai(Bhaisajyagur,medicine Buddha),Click Here)
② There is Nikko Bosatsu.
It is a national important cultural property.
(If you want to know more about a national important cultural property ,Click Here)
③ There is Gakko Bosatsu
It is a national important cultural property.
④ There is 12 divine generals
Each has an animal of the zodiac on its head.
They are a national important cultural property .
⑤ There is Amida Buddha.
It was the principal image of Richikoji Temple."
It is an abandoned temple that was located in Nikaido, Kamakura City.
(If you want to know more about Amida Buddha ,Click Here)
It is said that the main hall of the Dairakuji Temple, which used to be located near Kakuonji Temple, was moved here.
(If you want to know more about Fudo Myoo(acala,wisdom king), Click Here)
It was made in the Kamakura period.
② There is an iron statue of Fudo Myoo(Acala,wisdom king)
It was made in the Kamakura period .
③ There is Ashuku nyorai(Akshobhya)
It was made in the Kamakura period .
It is Kamakura 13 Nyorai Buddhas, No. 11
There is a wooden Jizo Bodhisattva .
It is called the Kuro Jizo .
( If you want to know more about jizo bodhisattva , Click Here )
It is Kamakura 24 jizo Bodhisattva, No. 3
It was built in the Kamakura period.
It is a national important cultural property .
The Kuro Jizo bodhisattva festival is held on August 10th. ( From midnight on August 9th to noon on the 10th)It is also called "Kurayami Mairi" .
It is said that if a person who is celebrating the first Bon festival visits the festival for three consecutive years, the deceased will be able to attain nirvana .
(The first Bon festival following the Buddhist memorial service to commemorate 49 days since someone's death is called Hatsubon or Shinbon)
This is the home of a farmer (headman) who lived in Kamakura City in 1706.
There are two Hokyoin-to pagoda(stone pagodas).
"A yagura" is a type of cave tomb excavated into the slope of a mountain, unique to the Kamakura region.
It is the stone grave of Chikai Shin'e, the founder (the monk who first established the temple, the first chief priest) .
It is a national important cultural property .
ⒷOne is the " Daito Tower" .
It is the stone tomb of the second Daito, Genchi .
It is a national important cultural property .
Both were built in 1332.It is private .
It is private .
It is one of the "Ten Wells of Kamakura" (Kamakura Jissei: wells in Kamakura that have good quality water or are associated with legends) .
It is private .
If you climb Mount Jubusen behind Kakuonji Temple , you will find many yagura towers near the summit.
"A yagura" is a type of cave tomb excavated into the slope of a mountain, unique to the Kamakura region.