Hokokuji Temple

Hokokuji Temple, officially known as Koshinazan Hokokuji, is a Rinzai Zen temple located in Kamakura and is the 10th temple on the Kamakura 33 Kannon pilgrimage. The temple was founded in 1334 by Uesugi Shigekane and its founding priest, Tengan Eko, to pray for the soul of Ashikaga Ietoki, who was the grandfather of Ashikaga Takauji, the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate. The Ashikaga Shogunate, also known as the Muromachi Shogunate, was the feudal military government of Japan from 1336 to 1573, during the Muromachi period.

In the main building of the temple houses a seated statue of Shakyamuni Tathagata (Gautama Buddha), the principal image of the temple. Hokokuji Temple is renowned for its beautiful bamboo garden, complete with a tea house where visitors can enjoy a cup of tea while appreciating the serene surroundings. It is believed that the ashes of the Ashikaga family, including Ietoki, are interred in the large caves on the temple's western side. In addition to the bamboo trees, the temple features a stunning garden with flowers and trees that bloom year-round, from February to December.