Zuiryuji Temple
瑞龍寺
A Zen temple of National Treasure halls, built by Kaga's Maeda clan over some 20 years: gates and halls in one line, ringed by corridors, near Takaoka Station.
A temple built to mourn Maeda Toshinaga
Zuiryuji is a temple of the Soto school (one of the schools of Zen Buddhism) in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture. It was built by Maeda Toshitsune, third lord of the Kaga domain (the territory ruled by a feudal lord, covering today's Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures), to mourn the second lord, Maeda Toshinaga, who built a castle at Takaoka and died here.
Toshitsune is said to have been deeply grateful to Toshinaga for handing him the "Kaga Hyakumangoku", the famously rich Kaga domain. He commissioned Yamagami Zen'emon Yoshihiro, a renowned master carpenter of the day, to build a "shichido garan": a complete temple with every building a temple needs. The work took about 20 years, finishing in 1663, the 50th anniversary of Toshinaga's death. The temple grounds then covered 36,000 tsubo and were surrounded by a moat, giving it the look of a castle, according to tradition.
National Treasure halls in a single straight line
The layout of the buildings (garan) follows the style of Chinese Zen temples that reached Japan in the Kamakura period. The Somon (outer gate), Sanmon (main gate), Butsuden (Buddha hall) and Hatto (lecture hall) stand in one straight line, with the Zendo (meditation hall) and the Okuri (the building housing the temple's kitchen and offices) on either side, and a corridor running all the way round all four sides.
On 3 December 1997 the Sanmon, Butsuden and Hatto were designated National Treasures. The Somon, Zendo, Okuri, corridors and Ochado (great tea hall) are also national Important Cultural Properties. The inside of the Butsuden is built entirely of zelkova wood, and its roof is covered with lead tiles weighing 47 tonnes in total. The Hatto ceiling is painted with flowers of the four seasons by Kano Yasunobu, and at its centre is Toshinaga's ihai (a wooden memorial tablet bearing the name of the deceased).
The toilet guardian and the Maeda stone mausoleums
Zuiryuji enshrines Ususama Myoo, the guardian deity of the tosu (the toilet of a Zen temple). The deity was originally enshrined in the tosu itself, but after it burned down about 250 years ago, the statue was moved to the Hatto, where it rests today.
In the grounds stand sekibyo (small stone mausoleums) for Maeda Toshinaga, Maeda Toshiie, Oda Nobunaga and others. From the temple, an approach path called Hacchomichi runs about 870 m east to Maeda Toshinaga's grave, which is a national historic site.
Getting there
It is about a 10-minute walk from Takaoka Station on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway, or about 15 minutes on foot from Shin-Takaoka Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen. By car it is about 10 minutes from the Takaoka Interchange on the Noetsu Expressway. Check the official website for opening hours and admission fees.
Tips
- Monks and volunteer guides offer free tours of the temple (sometimes not available, for example during memorial services). Recommended if you want to understand what makes the buildings special.
- Consider timing your visit to an annual event, such as Toshinaga's memorial day on 20 May each year or the bell-ringing on New Year's Eve. Entry is free on the night of New Year's Eve and on New Year's Day.
- If you have time, walk along the Hacchomichi to Maeda Toshinaga's grave.
Sources
Updated 29 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.
