Sekkoji Temple is an ancient Jodo Buddhist temple located in Someno, Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture. Its mountain name is Jiunzan, and its principal object of worship is Amida Nyorai, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life. The temple is believed to have been founded approximately 1,300 years ago, during the Hakuho period of the late Asuka era. Archaeological discoveries and historical documents confirm its importance as a valuable surviving example of ancient Buddhist culture in Nara.
Sekkoji is known not only for its religious and historical significance but also for its legends and beautiful seasonal flowers. It is especially associated with the legendary Chujo-hime, a noblewoman said to have woven the famous Taima Mandala. Two sites within the temple grounds, Some-no-i Well and the Ito-kake-zakura cherry tree, are closely connected with this story. These traditions have earned the temple its affectionate nickname, Some-dera, or the Dyeing Temple.
According to temple tradition, Sekkoji was founded under the patronage of Emperor Tenji. A legend tells that a large stone appeared in the area, radiating a mysterious light resembling the form of a Buddha. Upon hearing of this miraculous occurrence, the emperor is said to have ordered a statue of Miroku Nyorai, the Buddha of the Future, to be carved from the stone and a temple hall to be built around it.
The construction is traditionally attributed to En no Ozunu, also known as En no Gyoja, the ascetic regarded as the founder of Shugendo, a Japanese mountain-based spiritual tradition. The story is recorded in the Genko Shakusho, a history of Japanese Buddhism completed in 1322, indicating that the temple was already recognized as a place of considerable historical significance in the medieval period.
In 1991, an archaeological excavation was carried out in connection with renovations to the Miroku Hall. The excavation uncovered a stone seated Buddha dating from the Hakuho period, along with roof tiles, stamped clay Buddhist images known as senbutsu, and other artifacts. These discoveries demonstrate that Sekkoji had already developed into a substantial Buddhist temple during the late Asuka period.
The remains of a building measuring five bays by four bays were also identified. Researchers believe that the excavated stone Buddha was once enshrined in this structure. Considered one of Japan’s oldest surviving stone Buddhist statues, it is preserved as a Nara Prefecture-designated Tangible Cultural Property.
One of Sekkoji’s most important treasures is its stone seated Buddha, believed to have been created during the late Asuka period. It is regarded as one of the oldest surviving stone Buddhist statues in Japan and offers valuable insight into the introduction and development of Buddhism in ancient Japan.
Its simple yet powerful form conveys the depth of religious devotion during that era. Despite the centuries that have passed, the weathered stone continues to evoke the reverence and spiritual aspirations of the people who worshipped here long ago.
Sekkoji is widely known for its connection to the legend of Chujo-hime. According to tradition, she was the beautiful and deeply religious daughter of Fujiwara no Toyonari, a high-ranking court official. She is said to have entered the Buddhist priesthood at the age of 17 and devoted herself to religious practice at Taima-dera Temple.
Legend says that Chujo-hime received a spiritual inspiration to extract threads from lotus stems. She dug a well in the garden of Sekkoji and immersed the threads in its water, whereupon they were said to take on five brilliant colors. The well is still known as Some-no-i, or the Dyeing Well.
According to the story, Chujo-hime then hung the dyed threads on the branches of a nearby cherry tree to dry. The tree became known as the Ito-kake-zakura, or Thread-Hanging Cherry Tree. She is said to have used the lotus threads to weave the Taima Mandala in a single night. This sacred Buddhist tapestry depicts the Pure Land of Amida Buddha and remains closely associated with the temple traditions of the region.
The story appears in the Kenkyu Gojunreiki, a pilgrimage account dating to 1192, although the earliest version did not mention Chujo-hime by name. The familiar identification of Chujo-hime as the daughter of Fujiwara no Toyonari became established from the Muromachi period onward. Over time, the story became deeply intertwined with the temple’s religious identity and continues to be passed down today.
The temple grounds contain several buildings, including the Main Hall, also known as the Amida Hall or Jogyo Hall, the Miroku Hall, the priests’ quarters, and the reception hall. A stone foundation believed to have supported the central pillar of a pagoda from the late Asuka period also remains on the grounds, offering a glimpse of the temple’s former architectural scale.
Visitors can also find poetry monuments dedicated to Yosano Akiko, Yosano Tekkan, and Shaku Choku, the literary name of folklorist and poet Shinobu Orikuchi. These monuments reflect the temple’s appeal to writers and poets, adding a literary dimension to its spiritual and historical atmosphere.
Sekkoji is celebrated as a temple of peonies. In spring, approximately 2,500 peonies representing around 350 varieties bloom throughout the grounds. Their peak season generally runs from mid-April to early May, attracting large numbers of worshippers and flower enthusiasts.
Winter peonies offer a different kind of beauty. From early December to early January, around 200 plants produce flowers in shades of red, white, purple, and pink. Blooming in the cold winter air, these flowers create a particularly tranquil and striking scene.
In summer, a crape myrtle tree believed to be approximately 250 years old produces an impressive display of blossoms. Its branches spread dramatically over the temple’s stone walls. Peonies, tree peonies, hydrangeas, cherry blossoms, and other flowering plants add color throughout the year, making the grounds a rewarding destination in every season.
Sekkoji continues to observe important Buddhist ceremonies, including the Great Segaki Service on August 19 and memorial services held during the spring and autumn equinox periods. The temple is also one of the 25 sacred temples on the Kansai Hana no Tera pilgrimage route, which connects Buddhist temples renowned for their flowers and gardens.
Sekkoji Temple is located at 387 Someno Biwagatsuji, Katsuragi City, Nara Prefecture. From Nijojinjaguchi Station on the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line, the temple is approximately five minutes away by taxi. It can also be reached in around 10 minutes by taxi from Kashiba Station on the JR Wakayama Line.
For visitors traveling by car, the temple is approximately 5 km from either Kashiwara Interchange or Kashiba Interchange on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway.
With its ancient Buddhist heritage, evocative legends, cultural treasures, and spectacular seasonal flowers, Sekkoji brings together many of the qualities that make the Katsuragi region special. A quiet walk through its grounds offers an opportunity to appreciate centuries of faith and history amid the changing beauty of nature.