Admission
Free
Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture
At a Glance
The temple was founded by Hattori Hanzō, the legendary ninja who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Despite being nicknamed "Hanzō the Ogre" for his spear mastery, he wept and refused to behead his lord's son during seppuku.
Hattori Hanzō's spear, a temple treasure gifted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, was originally 4.2 meters long but is now broken and shortened to 2.58 meters, weighing 7.5 kilograms.
The temple's name comes from Hattori Hanzō's Buddhist name "Saien," which he took to pray for Matsudaira Nobuyasu's soul. He spent his final years as a priest here before dying in 1597.
Regular
Free
Within 300 m Within 600 m
Visit the temple cemetery to see two significant historic sites: the large stone pagoda grave of Hattori Hanzo (engraved with his Buddhist name and dated 1606) located immediately left of the cemetery entrance, and the Tokugawa Nobuyasu Memorial Tower (a large Gorinto stone tower) behind the main hall on the right side, both designated historic sites by Shinjuku Ward with explanatory boards.
This is a Jodo-shu sect temple founded in 1594, where the practice centers on nembutsu (recitation of Amida Buddha's name) and emphasizes faith in Amida Buddha's compassion, so visitors should maintain a respectful and quiet demeanor appropriate to this Pure Land Buddhist tradition.
The temple is located in a quiet residential neighborhood near Sophia University Campus in Shinjuku's Wakaba area, just a few minutes' walk from the famous Sushi Sho restaurant, making it easy to combine with other nearby attractions.
Look for the stone door bearing the three-leaf hollyhock crest (the Tokugawa family symbol) at the Nobuyasu Memorial Tower, which commemorates Tokugawa Ieyasu's eldest son whom Hattori Hanzo served as guardian and for whose soul Hanzo prayed for the rest of his life after Nobuyasu's tragic death in 1579.
The temple houses Hattori Hanzo's legendary spear as a registered tangible cultural property, originally 4.2 meters long and weighing 7.5 kilograms, which was bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu at Hamamatsu Castle to honor Hanzo's proficiency with spears (earning him the nickname 'Spear Hanzo').
The current temple buildings were reconstructed in 1961 after being lost during World War II, and the site was relocated from its original location in Kojimachi (near modern-day Shimizudani Park in Chiyoda Ward) to its present location in Wakaba around 1634 due to the expansion of Edo Castle.
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ZBPro memberZoë BolandPro shared a goshuin
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Experience
Fascinating facts about this place
The temple was founded by Hattori Hanzō, the legendary ninja who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Despite being nicknamed "Hanzō the Ogre" for his spear mastery, he wept and refused to behead his lord's son during seppuku.
Hattori Hanzō's spear, a temple treasure gifted by Tokugawa Ieyasu, was originally 4.2 meters long but is now broken and shortened to 2.58 meters, weighing 7.5 kilograms.
The temple's name comes from Hattori Hanzō's Buddhist name "Saien," which he took to pray for Matsudaira Nobuyasu's soul. He spent his final years as a priest here before dying in 1597.
Behind the main hall stands a large five-ring stone tower memorial built by Hattori Hanzō for Tokugawa Nobuyasu, marked with the Tokugawa three-leaf hollyhock crest and designated a Shinjuku Ward historic site.
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