Zen Buddhism spread throughout Japan from the Kamakura period onward, particularly among the samurai class, and eventually became one of the country’s major Buddhist traditions.

Among the leading schools of Zen is Sōtō Zen, whose principal head temple is the famous Eiheiji Temple in Fukui Prefecture. But you don’t have to travel all the way to Fukui to experience one of Sōtō Zen’s two head temples. Just 20 minutes from Tokyo, in Tsurumi, Yokohama, stands its other head temple, Sōjiji.

The temple’s architecture closely resembles that of Eiheiji. One of its most distinctive features is the remarkable fusion of large-scale, traditional temple architecture built from the Meiji through the Taishō and early Shōwa periods, together with enormous modern reinforced-concrete structures. The temple complex is centered around a courtyard, enclosed by covered wooden corridors and magnificent traditional timber buildings.

Among the highlights are the Hyakken Corridor, stretching an impressive 142 meters, and the vast main hall and guest hall, with a floor space equivalent to a thousand tatami mats.

For those who want to experience the atmosphere of authentic Zen Buddhism, away from the feel of a heavily tourist-oriented temple, Sōjiji is a must-visit.