Higo Honmyoji Temple is a Nichiren Buddhist temple in Nishi Ward, Kumamoto City, northwest of Kumamoto Castle. It belongs to the Rokujō lineage of Nichiren Buddhism and was granted the special status of “Kyushu Chief Instructor of the Rokujō Lineage” by the head temple Honkokuji. The temple’s mountain name is Hasseizan, and its principal object of worship is the Mandala of the Ten Realms.
Honmyoji is especially famous for Jōchi-byō, the mausoleum dedicated to Katō Kiyomasa, the feudal lord closely associated with Kumamoto Castle. A long flight of stone steps continues beyond the mausoleum, leading to a bronze statue of Kiyomasa overlooking Kumamoto City.
The approach to Honmyoji begins at the imposing Niō Gate. Built in 1920, the gate is made of reinforced concrete and was donated by Tokuchirō Kobayashi, who was also known for donating the great torii gate at Izumo Taisha Shrine. The Niō Gate is registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.
Beyond the gate, a long approach lined with cherry trees leads toward the temple buildings. Twelve subtemples, known as tatchū, stand in orderly rows along the approach, creating a distinctive temple landscape that changes with the seasons.
As visitors continue along the approach, the temple’s Great Main Hall, also known as the Imperial Prayer Hall, appears on the right. Farther ahead is Munatsuki Gangi, a steep stone staircase consisting of 176 steps. Numerous stone lanterns donated by worshippers line the central section of the stairs.
At the top stands Jōchi-byō, the mausoleum dedicated to Katō Kiyomasa. The site preserves and displays approximately 1,400 treasures, including Kiyomasa’s personal belongings, documents connected with the Katō and Hosokawa families, works of craftsmanship, and items designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan.
Behind Jōchi-byō, another staircase of approximately 300 steps climbs farther up the hillside. At the top stands a bronze statue of Katō Kiyomasa holding a spear and wearing a distinctive tall, long-brimmed helmet.
The elevated position provides sweeping views across Kumamoto City. The statue and the demanding ascent create a powerful impression of the historical figure who played a major role in shaping Kumamoto.
On the evening before July 24, the anniversary of Katō Kiyomasa’s death, Honmyoji holds Tonsya-e, a Buddhist ceremony in which monks and worshippers offer handwritten copies of the Lotus Sutra. More than 100,000 visitors have attended this major annual event, which is one of the temple’s best-known occasions.
The ceremony is said to have originated with Nichiyō, the temple’s third chief priest. On the first anniversary of Kiyomasa’s death, he reportedly copied the Lotus Sutra in a single night as an act of memorial devotion.
Honmyoji was founded in Osaka in 1585 by the priest Nichishin, who established the temple to pray for the repose of the soul of Kiyomasa’s father, Kiyotada. When Kiyomasa became lord of Kumamoto Castle in 1600, the temple was moved to Zuiryū-in in the castle town.
After Kiyomasa died in 1611, his bronze image was enshrined at Jōchi-byō on Mount Nakao in accordance with his wishes. In 1614, a fire destroyed Honmyoji, and the temple was subsequently relocated to its present site below the mausoleum.
During the Meiji period, government policies separating Shinto and Buddhism led to the separation of Jōchi-byō and Honmyoji into a shrine and a Buddhist temple. Katō Shrine was established as part of this process. During the Satsuma Rebellion, the Great Main Hall and Jōchi-byō were destroyed by fire. They were rebuilt in 1894, forming the basis of the complex seen today.
Historically, people affected by Hansen’s disease gathered along the temple approach and asked visitors for alms. This practice is said to have continued since the Edo period, with formal records dating back to 1871.
People affected by the disease continued to appear along the approach after the Second World War. In 1940, however, a forced removal took place that became known as the Honmyoji Incident. The action was part of the movement to create prefectures free of Hansen’s disease and wider wartime preparations. Those affected were transferred to facilities including Kusatsu Rakusenen. This history is an important part of the site’s wider social context.
Honmyoji preserves a number of valuable cultural objects. These include a short sword inscribed with the name Mitsuyo, lacquered furnishings, and a set of four-tiered and three-tiered bowls decorated with a paulownia, bellflower, and folded-ink design. Other objects in the temple’s collection have also been designated as cultural properties.
The Niō Gate is a registered Tangible Cultural Property. It was damaged in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, and passage through the gate was closed according to the source information. A crowdfunding campaign was also launched to support restoration work. Visitors should check current conditions before visiting.
Honmyoji has twelve subtemples, each with its own history. One example is Honzeizan Seimyō-in, founded during the Tenshō era and developed under its founding priest, Myōon-in Nichiryō. The histories of the other subtemples contribute to the character and historical depth of the temple grounds.
Honmyoji also has a branch temple known as Seishōkōji in Hamachō, Nihonbashi, Chūō Ward, Tokyo. It was founded in 1861 after the spirit of Katō Kiyomasa was enshrined there. Following the Meiji Restoration, it was called Katō Shrine and was later renamed Seishōkōdō.
Honmyoji brings together Buddhist worship, the legacy of Katō Kiyomasa, historic architecture, cultural treasures, and a memorable hillside approach. Visitors can explore the temple precincts, climb the stone steps, view the bronze statue, and enjoy the panorama of Kumamoto City while reflecting on the site’s complex history.