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Jimmuji Temple and Masako Hojo: The Ancient Zushi Temple Where Yoritomo Prayed

Deep in the mountains of Zushi, Jimmuji Temple is a historic Tendai Buddhist site recorded in the Azuma Kagami as the place where Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed for his wife Masako Hojo's safe delivery. Founded by Gyoki, its healing Yakushi Nyorai draws pilgrims through the rugged trails of Mt. Takatori to this day.

Contents

MOKUJI

Basic Information and Historical Background of Jimmuji Temple

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Yoritomo and Masako Hojo — A Prayer That Speaks to Their Bond

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A Shogunal Prayer Hall Also Visited by the Third Shogun Sanetomo

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A Mountain Sacred Site on Mt. Takatori — A Deep-Mountain Pilgrimage Experience

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Jimmuji Pilgrimage Guide and Summary

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Jimmuji Temple is an ancient Tendai Buddhist temple nestled deep in the mountains of Zushi City, recorded in the Azuma Kagami as the site where Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed for his wife Masako Hojo’s safe delivery. Since its founding in the Nara period, it has drawn the faith of people across the Kanto region as a place of miraculous healing, and was earnestly patronized as a prayer hall of the Kamakura shogunate. Even today, the temple’s sacred light burns undiminished, quietly shining beyond the deep green mountain trail of Mt. Takatori.

The Yakushi-do Hall of Jimmuji Temple, a Kanagawa Prefecture Important Cultural Property standing at this ancient temple associated with Minamoto no Yoritomo and Masako Hojo

Basic Information and Historical Background of Jimmuji Temple

The following table summarizes key facts about Jimmuji Temple.

Item

Details

Mountain Title / Temple Name

Iozan Jimmuji

Sect

Tendai Buddhism

Principal Image

Yakushi Sanzon (Yakushi Nyorai)

Founded

724 CE, traditionally by Gyoki

Restored

Heian period by Ennin (Jikaku Daishi)

Cultural Property

Yakushi-do Hall (Kanagawa Prefecture Designated Important Cultural Property)

Location

2-1402 Numama, Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture

Access

Approx. 20 min walk from JR Yokosuka Line “Higashi-Zushi” Station

The Yakushi Nyorai Carved by Gyoki and the Imperial Vow of Emperor Shomu

The founding of Jimmuji dates back to 724 CE. According to tradition, the eminent monk Gyoki, acting on the imperial vow of Emperor Shomu, carved a Yakushi Nyorai and built a hall deep in the mountains of Mt. Takatori. Yakushi Nyorai has long been venerated since antiquity as a Buddha of healing, deeply connected to the spirit of Emperor Shomu’s era when he ordered the construction of provincial temples across Japan.

The interpretive board erected by the Zushi City Board of Education in 2008 also states that Gyoki founded the temple by carving the Yakushi Nyorai under Emperor Shomu’s imperial vow, confirming the temple’s founding traditions in official local records.

Restoration by Ennin and the Tendai Esoteric Training Hall

During the Heian period, Ennin (Jikaku Daishi) restored Jimmuji and developed it into a training center for Tendai esoteric Buddhism. Ennin was a towering figure in the Tendai sect, based at Mt. Hiei’s Enryakuji Temple, who after returning from Tang China brought numerous temples in the Kanto region into the Tendai lineage. Jimmuji was among them, increasingly taking on the character of a mountain ascetic site. During the medieval period it also functioned as a training ground for Shugendo mountain asceticism, and the deep-mountain terrain itself became a sacred zone imbued with ascetic meaning.

Yoritomo and Masako Hojo — A Prayer That Speaks to Their Bond

The interpretive board at Jimmuji Temple (Zushi City Board of Education), conveying the record in the Azuma Kagami of Yoritomo praying for Masako Hojo's safe delivery

The Azuma Kagami’s Record of the Safe Delivery Prayer

When discussing Jimmuji Temple, the connection to Minamoto no Yoritomo and Masako Hojo is indispensable. The Azuma Kagami, the official historical record of the Kamakura shogunate, preserves a record of Yoritomo making a pilgrimage to Jimmuji to pray for Masako’s safe delivery.

The interpretive board at Jimmuji (Zushi City Board of Education, installed 2008) also notes that the Azuma Kagami contains records of Yoritomo’s pilgrimage to pray for Masako’s safe delivery, and that the third shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo visited Jimmuji together with Gandenji Temple in Kenpo 6 (1218).

Background of the Prayer — The Birth of a Shogunal Heir

Yoritomo and Masako were united around Jisho 1 (1177), while Yoritomo was exiled in Izu. Though it is said that Masako’s father, Hojo Tokimasa, initially opposed the union, Masako defied her father and went to Yoritomo’s side through sheer force of will.

For them, the birth of a child was not merely a private joy. For Yoritomo, who had established warrior rule as the head of the Minamoto clan, the birth of an heir meant the very survival of the shogunate. The fact that he went all the way to the remote Jimmuji Temple deep in the mountains is attributed to the wide renown of Yakushi Nyorai’s miraculous power for healing and safe childbirth. An eastern warrior leader making pilgrimage to a deep-mountain temple speaks to the lofty status Jimmuji held as a sacred site.

Masako’s Later Years and Anyoin Temple — A Prayer Beyond Parting

Yoritomo died suddenly in Kenkyu 10 (1199). Masako thereafter supported the shogunate as the “Nun Shogun.” In her later years, Masako founded Chogakuji Temple (later Anyoin Temple) in Kamakura, and passed away there in Karoku 1 (1225), where she rests to this day.

Anyoin Temple continues its sacred tradition in Omachi, Kamakura, welcoming many visitors as a site connected to Masako. By visiting both Jimmuji, where Yoritomo prayed for Masako’s safe delivery, and Anyoin, the temple Masako herself built, the story of a couple who lived through turbulent times comes together in a moving way.

A Shogunal Prayer Hall Also Visited by the Third Shogun Sanetomo

The steep rocky approach trail on Mt. Takatori leading to Jimmuji Temple, a mountain path befitting a deep-mountain temple

Sanetomo’s Pilgrimage with Gandenji Temple

In Kenpo 6 (1218), the third shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo made a pilgrimage to Jimmuji together with Gandenji Temple. Gandenji is located in the same Zushi City and is the second temple on the Bando Thirty-Three Kannon pilgrimage route, which along with Jimmuji has drawn the faith of people in Sagami and Musashi provinces since ancient times. Sanetomo was assassinated at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine the following year by his nephew Kugyo, making this pilgrimage one of the final events of his short life. What the young shogun prayed for is not recorded, but it is certain that the shogunate regarded Jimmuji as an important prayer hall.

Edo Shogunate Patronage and Early Modern Development

Having received the patronage of the Kamakura shogunate throughout the medieval period, Jimmuji was also granted a vermilion seal estate (shuin-chi) by the Edo shogunate and flourished as a center of faith for the Zushi and Yokosuka area. It experienced a period of decline during the Meiji-era suppression of Buddhism, but has continued to maintain its Tendai Buddhist lineage to the present.

A Mountain Sacred Site on Mt. Takatori — A Deep-Mountain Pilgrimage Experience

A trail marker inscribed "Jimmuji Rear Approach Trail," pointing toward the ancient temple via the Mt. Takatori Hiking Course from Jimmuji Station

The Steep Rear Approach Trail and Its Silence

A well-known approach to Jimmuji is the rear approach trail via the Mt. Takatori Hiking Course from Keikyu Zushi Line “Jimmuji” Station. This route is steep, and it is not uncommon to walk without encountering another person even on weekends. When you break through the rocky mountain path, a temple compound suddenly appears amid deep forest. That dramatic revelation is precisely what makes Jimmuji one of the rare “deep-mountain temples” in the Kanto region.

Along the way, one may even encounter wild squirrels. The experience of walking the approach to a temple with a thousand-year history through the tranquil silence of a mountain trail with few signs of human presence makes one forget that a major city lies just beyond.

Yakushi-do Hall — Kanagawa Prefecture Designated Important Cultural Property

The central hall of Jimmuji, the Yakushi-do, is designated as a Kanagawa Prefecture Important Cultural Property. The principal image of the Yakushi Sanzon is enshrined within, and the ancient faith in its power for healing and safe delivery lives on. Yakushi Nyorai is the “Lord of the Eastern Pure Lapis Lazuli World,” a Buddha who responds to worldly needs, having received the earnest prayers of people for hundreds of years.

An explanatory board within the Jimmuji Temple precincts, conveying the history and highlights of this ancient temple set deep in mountain seclusion

The interpretive board at Jimmuji erected by the Zushi City Board of Education also records that the Yakushi-do is a Kanagawa Prefecture Designated Important Cultural Property, allowing visitors to confirm its officially recognized cultural heritage value on site.

Jimmuji Pilgrimage Guide and Summary

Practical Tips for Your Visit

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Access: Approx. 20-minute walk from JR Yokosuka Line “Higashi-Zushi” Station. Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for mountain trails.

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Rear Approach Trail: The route from Keikyu Zushi Line “Jimmuji” Station via the Mt. Takatori Hiking Course features rocky terrain and is recommended for those with some hiking experience.

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Time Required: Allow 2 to 3 hours for the round trip from Higashi-Zushi Station. Combining with the Mt. Takatori Hiking Course makes for a half-day excursion.

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Season: Spring greenery and autumn foliage are particularly beautiful. Summer is relatively cool under the tree canopy, but insect repellent is advisable.

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Highlights: The Yakushi-do Hall (Kanagawa Prefecture Designated Important Cultural Property) and the interpretive boards by the Zushi City Board of Education, where visitors can confirm the historical connection to Yoritomo, Masako, and Sanetomo.

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For Solitude: The rear approach trail is especially uncrowded; a weekday visit is recommended for the deepest sense of mountain stillness.

Related Sites to Visit

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Jimmuji Temple — The mountain temple where Yoritomo prayed for Masako’s safe delivery

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Anyoin Temple — The Kamakura temple Masako founded and where she rests

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Gandenji Temple — The Zushi Bando Kannon temple Sanetomo visited along with Jimmuji

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Kaihoin Temple — An ancient temple in nearby Numama

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Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine — The chief shrine of the Kamakura shogunate, deeply connected to Yoritomo, Masako, and Sanetomo

Recommended Pilgrimage Route

A Half-Day Course Through Sites Associated with Masako Hojo

Here is a suggested pilgrimage course connecting sites associated with Masako, from Zushi to Kamakura.

Jimmuji Temple (Zushi) — Begin the course at this mountain temple where Yoritomo prayed for Masako’s safe delivery

Gandenji Temple (Zushi) — Visit this Bando Kannon pilgrimage site also visited by Sanetomo

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine (Kamakura) — Pay respects at the chief shrine of the shogunate, deeply connected to Masako’s life

Anyoin Temple (Kamakura) — End the course at the temple Masako herself founded, where she rests

Following the story of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Masako Hojo, this journey brings to life the landscape of prayer from the Kamakura period.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the connection between Jimmuji Temple and Masako Hojo?

Jimmuji Temple’s connection to Masako is indirect. It was her husband Minamoto no Yoritomo who made the pilgrimage directly, with a record in the Azuma Kagami of him visiting the deep-mountain Yakushi Nyorai to pray for Masako’s safe delivery. Yakushi Nyorai has been venerated since antiquity for its miraculous power over healing and childbirth, and Yoritomo’s choice of Jimmuji as one of the foremost sacred sites in the Kanto region speaks to the breadth of that faith. Masako herself later founded Anyoin Temple (Chogakuji) in Kamakura, where she rests.

How do I get to Jimmuji Temple?

The most common route is a roughly 20-minute walk from JR Yokosuka Line “Higashi-Zushi” Station, following signage along a mountain path. There is also a popular route from Keikyu Zushi Line “Jimmuji” Station via the Mt. Takatori Hiking Course (rear approach trail), which allows visitors to enjoy the rocky mountain terrain. Both routes include mountain trails, so bring comfortable footwear and sufficient water.

What makes the Yakushi-do Hall at Jimmuji noteworthy?

The Yakushi-do Hall is a Kanagawa Prefecture Designated Important Cultural Property and the central hall of Jimmuji, enshrining the principal image of the Yakushi Sanzon (Yakushi Nyorai). It is a place of faith for healing and safe childbirth that has continued since antiquity, holding historical significance as a prayer hall of the Kamakura shogunate visited by Yoritomo and Sanetomo. The hall stands in the mountain stillness, conveying the solemn atmosphere unique to a mountain sacred site.

Does Jimmuji Temple offer goshuin (temple seals)?

Availability and hours for goshuin at Jimmuji may vary. It is strongly recommended to contact the temple directly before your visit or to confirm on-site. As a mountain temple, there may be times when the temple is unable to respond depending on your time of arrival.

Last updated: June 4, 2026

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Toku editorial team — samurai history. Insists on primary sources and castle-layout diagrams, walking battlefields from Yoritomo's Izu exile sites to the late-Edo battlegrounds.

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