Sano Yakuyoke Daishi (Soshuji Temple)

Sano Yakuyoke Daishi (officially Soushuji Temple) is a Tendai Buddhist temple counted among the Kanto region’s Three Great Daishi, along with Aoyagi Daishi and Kawagoe Daishi. With a history of about 1,000 years, it is famous for yakuyoke (warding off bad luck) and houiyoke (warding off misfortune related to directions), and it attracts many worshippers during the New Year season. The “Daishi” here refers to the monk Gensan Jikei Daishi from the Heian period, who is said to have devised omikuji (fortune slips) as we commonly see them at shrines and temples today. The temple also has historical ties to the Tokugawa shogunate: it is said that Tokugawa Ieyasu’s coffin stayed here for one night while being transferred from Kunozan to Nikko. No reservation is needed for purification prayers; you can apply at the main hall reception on the day you wish, then sit formally in the hall to receive a goma fire ritual prayer. The grounds also include valuable cultural assets such as the grave of Tanaka Shozo, Sano Toshogu Shrine, and a bronze bell made with Tenmyo casting. Every November, the Kanto Chrysanthemum Competition is held on the grounds—a historic festival said to have continued since 1929 (Showa 4) without interruption even during wartime—featuring over 1,000 pots of colorful chrysanthemums.