Shōjōkō-ji Temple (清浄光寺)

Shojoko-ji Temple (清浄光寺)

Shojoko-ji Temple (清浄光寺), formally known as Totaku-san Muryoko-in Shojoko-ji (藤澤山無量光院清浄光寺), is a Buddhist temple located in the Nishitomi District of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.

The temple was founded in 1325 by Ta-A Donkai (他阿呑海), the fourth Yugyo Shonin (遊行上人) which is the title of the patriarch of the Ji-shu (時宗) branch of Pure Land Buddhism.  Since it served as the residence of the Yugyo Shonin, Shojoko-ji Temple is more commonly known as Yugyo-ji Temple (遊行寺).

Throughout its history, the temple experienced several numerous destructions by war and fire.  In 1513, a fire caused by conflict burned the entire complex to the ground.  During this time, the temple's honzon was relocated to Chozen-ji Temple in Suruga Province, where the 21st Yugyo Shonin, Ta-A Chiren, had been residing.

In 1631, under an order from the Edo Shogunate's jisha-bugyo, Shojoko-ji Temple submitted the Jishu Fujisawa Yugyo Matsujicho (時宗藤沢遊行末寺帳), a registry of Ji-shu branch temples.  This marked the temple's official recognition as the head temple of the Ji-shu branch of Pure Land Buddhism.