Shuzenji Temple

General Minamoto no Noriyori, who fought during the late Heian period, was arrested and confined at the Shuzenji Temple in 1194 by his brother, the warlord Minamoto no Yoritomo, and eventually committed suicide when Yoritomo’s spy Kajiwara no Kagetoki attacked him.

Later, the first son of Yoritomo, Yoriie, was also imprisoned at the temple as a result of a plot by his mother Masako and grandfather Hojo Tokimasa. Yoriie was later assassinated at a tender age of 23 in 1204 while taking a bath, thus ending the family bloodline for good.

Besides visiting the prolific temple that is surrounded by lush foliage, a museum attached to it exhibits a frightful mask which was made to commemorate Yoriie’s death after he was poisoned. The zen Buddhist temple also welcomes visitors for meditation classes certain days of the week.

Within close proximity to the temple is the popular Shuzenji Onsen and an abundant bamboo forest. Additionally, check out the myriad of traditional bamboo craftwork on offer, a Shuzenji specialty, and the craft beer brewery nearby that has a tasting room and tours.