Sojiji relocated to Yokohama following a massive fire that destroyed the original Noto Peninsula complex in 1898.
The temple is home to one of the largest wooden monastic kitchens in Japan, known as the Daiso-in.
The Sanmon Gate, completed in 1974, stands as one of the largest wooden gates in Japan.
The temple operates a vocational school (Tsurumi University) within its broader precinct boundaries.
The interior corridors are polished daily by resident monks as a form of meditative practice called samu.
It holds the grave of Ishihara Yujiro, a legendary Japanese film star and singer.
The temple architecture incorporates traditional Japanese woodwork techniques that do not rely on metal nails.
Sojiji serves as one of the two head temples of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism in Japan. The temple complex relocated from Noto Peninsula to its current Yokohama site in 1911. The grounds feature a collection of large, Meiji and Taisho-period wooden structures connected by long, polished corridors. It remains an active training monastery for Zen monks, who perform daily chores and religious practices on-site. The layout includes the massive Sanmon Gate, the Shoro (bell tower), and the Butsuden (Buddha Hall). Visitors can walk through the expansive, wooded temple precincts that offer a significant contrast to the surrounding urban density. The temple serves as a final resting place for various notable Japanese figures, including actors and politicians. It maintains a strictly maintained garden and forest environment accessible to the public.
The central courtyard facing the Butsuden (Buddha Hall) provides the most balanced perspective of the temple's scale.
Follow the monks' lead and stay quiet, as this is a functional training monastery, not a museum.
Take time to observe the monks cleaning the long wooden hallways; they maintain a precise, silent rhythm.
Wear comfortable slip-on shoes, as you will need to remove them frequently to enter various temple halls.
Avoid stepping on the raised wooden thresholds of building entrances, as these are considered symbolic boundaries.
Remove shoes when entering temple buildings. Maintain a low voice. Do not photograph monks or religious ceremonies. Modest attire covering shoulders and knees is expected.
