Myohonji

神奈川県

The oldest Nichiren temple in Kamakura — built on the ruins of the Hiki clan's tragic 1203 downfall

Founded

1260

Type

Temple

Visited

Want to go

Access

1-15-1 Omachi, Kamakura, Kanagawa

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Info

Temple

Founded 1260

766 years

Founder

Nichiro (for the Hiki clan)

Overview

Myohonji is one of the oldest Nichiren Buddhist temples in Kamakura, nestled in the Hikigayatsu valley of Omachi. The site was formerly the residence of the Hiki clan, powerful retainers of the Kamakura shogunate who were annihilated by the Hojo clan in 1203 in what is known as the Hiki Disturbance. The temple's main hall, the Soshido, is among the largest wooden Buddhist structures in Kamakura, a…

Origins

In 1203, Hiki Yoshikazu, a powerful regent-relative of the second shogun Yoriie, was assassinated by Hojo Tokimasa, and the Hiki clan was destroyed at their residence in this valley — an event known as the Hiki Disturbance. Yoshikazu's youngest son, Yoshimoto, survived and later became a devoted fol…

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祭
Festivals & Events
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8月

Myohonji Obon Service

The Obon service at Myohonji in Kamakura, known as the mausoleum of the Hiki clan. Founded by Hiki Yoshimoto in 1275, this ancient Nichiren sect temple holds summer rites to console the spirits of the Hiki clan, destroyed in the Hiki Conspiracy. The vast precincts before the great hall provide a solemn setting for ancestral memorial services.

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記
Related Articles
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記

The Hiki Incident — Assassination and the Fall of the Hiki Clan That Transformed Kamakura

In 1203, Hojo Tokimasa used the shogunal succession as a pretext to murder Hiki Yoshikazu and annihilate the Hiki clan. The fall of the Hiki, who had supported the shogunate since its founding as adoptive kin of Yoritomo's wet-nurse, was the decisive blow establishing Hojo regency rule. Visit Myohonji and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura to explore this power struggle.

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Jakushido Hall and the Hiki Clan Revolt: Wakasa no Tsubone's Vengeful Spirit and the Memory of Hojo Violence

Jakushido Hall, the guardian shrine of Myohonji Temple in Kamakura, enshrines the spirit of Wakasa no Tsubone, who drowned herself during the Hiki Clan Revolt of 1203. This article examines the revolt led by Hojo Yoshitoki, the legend of the vengeful serpent spirit, and Nichiren's role in its pacification.

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10 Sites of the 13 Lords of Kamakura: A Pilgrimage Through Yoritomo, Masako, and Yoshitoki

A one-day walking pilgrimage through the sites of NHK's historical drama The 13 Lords of Kamakura. From Tsurugaoka Hachimangu to the graves of Yoritomo, Masako, and Yoshitoki, and on to the Hiki Clan massacre site at Myohonji and Yoshitsune's Koshigoe letter monument — all within walking distance of Kamakura Station, with 4 goshuin stops and a 6-hour route.

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史
Related Historical Events
— 1

1203

Hiki Clan Incident

In 1203, Hojo Tokimasa lured Hiki Yoshikazu to his residence and murdered him, then destroyed the entire Hiki clan. The Hiki had wielded power as the maternal relatives of the second shogun Yoriie. When Yoriie fell ill, Tokimasa seized the opportunity. Yoriie's heir Ichiman was killed at age 6, and Yoriie was confined to Shuzenji temple in Izu, where he was murdered the following year. This incident gave the Hojo complete control of the shogunate.