The last stand in the battle with the shogun
Yoshikazu Hiki was the father-in-law of the 2nd shogun of the Kamakura Era, Yoriie Hojo. The Hiki clan whose bonds with Hojo were strong battled over who would become the next shogun and lost, resulting in the family being wiped out at their residence. A stone monument is placed at Myohon-ji Temple as a grave for the Hiki clan. Ichiman, who would have become the 3rd shogun if events had unfolded naturally, was killed at the age of 6. A five-ring pagoda (gorinto) rose from the ashes which is where Ichiman is enshrined.
There is an increasing stillness when walking along the temple path surrounded by mountains
Myohon-ji Temple is one of the oldest Nichiren temples of Japan, alongside Kuon-ji and Ikegami Honmon-ji. Walking along the cedar-lined temple path from the gravitas-laden main gate, you will encounter Niten-mon Gate. Jikokuten and Tamonten, two of the Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism, are enshrined within. If you clap your hands in front of the dragon carving above at the front of the gate, there is a legend that you can hear the cry of the dragon. In back of Niten-mon, there is a plant known as the Chinese trumpet vine, and in the summer, it has splendid orange blossoms. Beyond the gate stands Soshi-do, the largest wooden structure in Kamakura. Constructed in the Edo Era, a statue of Nichiren is enshrined there. Within the temple grounds, the Hall crabapple is one of the three main types of crabapple in Kamakura, and its pale pink flowers signify the beginnings of spring. The peak time to see the Hall crabapple is also the best time to see the weeping cherry trees in front of the main hall. The gingko trees have been designated as Natural Monuments by the city of Kamakura. During autumn, there are brilliant colors from the trees such as the maple. But the secret to the temple’s popularity is its silence. The site facing Mt. Gion has an atmosphere deep in mountains. The long temple path surrounded by mountains has an increasing stillness as you walk along it. A 10-minute walk from the station, time passes quietly such that it is hard to believe that a tragedy had taken place there.