Myokoji Temple is a historic temple of the Nichiren school of Buddhism located in Tako Town, Katori District, Chiba Prefecture. The temple is known for its long history, valuable cultural properties, and especially its famous life-sized statue of Nichiren, traditionally known as the “Hige no Soshi,” or “Bearded Patriarch.”
The temple is also closely connected with Hokekyoji Temple, one of the major historic centers of Nichiren Buddhism, and belongs to the Shinshi lineage of the tradition. Its address is 2550 Tako, Tako Town, Katori District, Chiba Prefecture.
Myokoji is traditionally known by the mountain name Myoinsan. Its principal object of worship is Shaka Tahō Four Bodhisattvas, a group representing Shakyamuni Buddha, Tahō Buddha, and four important bodhisattvas within Nichiren Buddhist tradition.
The temple’s statue of Nichiren is particularly distinctive. Known as the “Hige no Soshi”, the life-sized wooden image has been revered by ordinary worshippers for centuries and remains one of Myokoji’s most notable religious treasures.
According to the Myoinsan Engi, a traditional account of the temple’s origins, Myokoji was founded during the Kōan era (1278–1288) of the Kamakura period.
The founder was Jōzai-in Nichichō, a powerful local figure from Mobara in Kazusa Province, corresponding to present-day Mobara City in Chiba Prefecture. His secular name was Saito Kanetsuna.
Nichichō became a disciple of Nichiren and established Myokoji. He is also traditionally regarded as the founder of Mobara Temple, and was an influential figure in the spread of Nichiren Buddhism in the region.
When the temple was first established, it stood in Ohara, Somei Village, in what is now Somei, Tako Town. It was known at the time as the Hara-go Mido or Hara Hokke-do.
In 1359, Nichiyu, the third chief priest of Hokekyoji Temple in Nakayama, conducted a 100-day preaching campaign at the temple.
This preaching contributed to the conversion of villages in the surrounding area to Nichiren Buddhism. The region became so strongly devoted to the teachings that it came to be described as “Ichi-en Hokke,” meaning an area where the community as a whole followed the Lotus Sutra tradition.
The temple adopted the name Myokoji during the Eiwa era (1375–1379).
During the Warring States period, Myokoji attracted the devotion of the Ushio clan, who ruled Tako Castle. In 1577, Ushio Tanenaka moved the temple to its present location, where it also served as a place for prayers and religious petitions.
There are, however, traditions suggesting that the relocation may instead have taken place toward the end of the Keicho era or during the Genna era. The precise timing therefore remains uncertain.
One of Myokoji’s most famous treasures is its life-sized wooden statue of Nichiren, known as the “Hige no Soshi,” or “Bearded Patriarch.” The statue was made using a traditional yoseki-zukuri technique, in which a figure is assembled from multiple pieces of wood.
An inscription written in ink inside the statue records that it was created on February 25, 1376. The inscription names two major patrons: the mother of Hirai-shi no Nyūdo Shosho and Enjoji Zushosazen Genshin Tomo.
According to the Myoinsan Engi, the statue was created by Jōzai-in Nichichō, the founding priest of Myokoji.
Tradition further says that Nichiren himself attached his own beard to the image. This unusual tradition gave the statue its distinctive name and helped establish it as a special object of devotion.
For generations, worshippers have visited Myokoji to pray before the image, making the “Hige no Soshi” an important symbol of the temple’s religious heritage.
Myokoji is also home to a valuable Buddhist sculpture known as the “Wooden Seated Statue Traditionally Identified as Myoken Bosatsu.”
The sculpture has been designated a Chiba Prefecture Tangible Cultural Property, recognizing its historical and artistic significance. It is an important part of the temple’s collection of Buddhist religious art.
Myokoji once had a number of branch temples under its authority. Following the dissolution of the traditional head-and-branch temple system within Nichiren Buddhism in 1941, these relationships are now generally described using the terms former head temple and former branch temple.
One of Myokoji’s former branch temples is Myoeizan Bukkoji Temple, located in Kitanaka, Tako Town. Like Myokoji, it has long been connected with the religious life of the local community.
The Sanmon Gate has a dignified appearance that reflects the temple’s long history. Passing through the gate, visitors enter the temple grounds, where the Main Hall serves as the central place of worship.
The Main Hall houses the temple’s principal object of worship, the Shaka Tahō Four Bodhisattvas. Visitors can quietly pay their respects and experience the atmosphere of a traditional Nichiren Buddhist temple.
The temple grounds also include a building known as the Maya Hall. The hall has traditionally been associated with prayers concerning mothers and family well-being.
Other facilities, including the temple office, are arranged within the grounds, which are surrounded by a peaceful garden landscape. The quiet setting provides visitors with a place to slow down and reflect.
Myokoji Temple is located in central Tako Town, making it a convenient stop for visitors exploring the area’s historic temples and cultural attractions.
The surrounding area contains numerous sites associated with the history of Nichiren Buddhism, as well as natural landscapes and historic buildings. Exploring Myokoji together with nearby temples can provide a deeper understanding of the religious culture that developed in Tako Town.
Myokoji Temple is a significant historic temple in Tako Town, with a history stretching back to the Kamakura period.
Its most distinctive feature is the “Hige no Soshi,” the famous bearded statue of Nichiren. Together with the wooden Buddhist sculpture designated as a Chiba Prefecture Tangible Cultural Property, the statue provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of local religious devotion.
The temple also played an important role in the spread of Nichiren Buddhism throughout the surrounding villages, particularly through the development of the “Ichi-en Hokke” tradition.
For travelers interested in Japanese Buddhism, historic temples, traditional sculpture, and local history, Myokoji offers a peaceful opportunity to explore a lesser-known part of Chiba’s cultural heritage.