Gojo: Townscape of Shinmachi, Kongo-ji Temple, and the Octagonal Hall of Eisan-ji Temple

Start walking from JR Gojo Station and stroll down Shinmachi-dori in Gojo Shinmachi, which is lined with stately traditional machiya townhouses. From there, head to Kongo-ji Temple, the temple of peonies situated on the banks of the Yoshino River. Finally, visit Eisan-ji Temple, built upstream along the Yoshino River, to see the National Treasure Octagonal Hall and temple bell. This half-day route traces a town along the Kishu Kaido highway and temples connected to the Fujiwara clan and the Southern Court.

History and Regional Appeal

Gojo is a town located on the banks of the Yoshino River. During the Edo period, it developed as an important post town and merchant town along the Kishu Kaido highway. Gojo Shinmachi consists of two parts: "Gojo," whose origins date back to the medieval period, and "Shinmachi," established as a castle town at the beginning of the early modern era. It has been designated an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings by the national government. Shinmachi was created by Matsukura Shigemasa. He attracted merchants by exempting them from various taxes and labor duties, making it easier to conduct business.

Ancient temples remain in the surrounding area of the town. Kongo-ji Temple is said to have been founded by Taira no Shigemori. It also served as a shrine-temple dedicated to appeasing the vengeful spirits of Princess Igami and Prince Osabe, who were exiled to this area at the end of the Nara period.

Eisan-ji Temple, situated upstream along the Yoshino River, is the family temple of the Southern branch of the Fujiwara clan, said to have been founded by Fujiwara no Muchimaro in the 3rd year of the Yoro era (719). During the Nanboku-cho period, it served as a temporary palace (Angu) for the Southern Court emperors and is designated as a National Historic Site as the Eisan-ji Angu Site. In this single town, you can visit sights from different historical eras: historic streetscapes, a temple of flowers, and Nara-period architecture.

Key Highlights

• ​Gojo Shinmachi​​: Machiya townhouses stretch for about 1 km along Shinmachi-dori on the former Kishu Kaido highway. The houses feature white plaster walls, mushiko-mado (raised plaster-barred windows), and wooden latticework, with differences in window shapes reflecting different historical eras. The Kuriyama Family Residence has a ridgepole plaque dating to the 12th year of the Keicho era (1607) and is said to be the oldest private residence in Japan with a confirmed construction date. Because it remains a private residence today, please view it from the outside. At the Machiyakan, visitors can see the interior structure of a traditional merchant house.
• ​Kongo-ji Temple​​: This temple is known for its peony garden of approximately 2,000 square meters, which incorporates the Yoshino River as borrowed scenery. A "Peony Festival" is held every year from late April to early May. It is said that the peonies began when the head priest planted them as medicinal herbs in the 5th year of the Bunsei era (1822). From inside the thatched kuri (monks' quarters) dating from the 4th year of the Genroku era (1691), you can view a dry landscape (karesansui) garden from the early Genroku era.
• ​Eisan-ji Temple​​: The National Treasure Octagonal Hall is said to have been built by Muchimaro's son, Nakamaro, to mourn his father. Alongside the Yumedono Hall at Horyu-ji Temple, it is considered a rare surviving example of an octagonal hall from the Nara period. The temple bell in the bell tower is also a National Treasure, bearing an inscription from the 17th year of the Engi era (917); along with the bells of Jingo-ji Temple in Kyoto and Byodoin Temple in Uji, it is known as one of the "Three Renowned Bells of the Heian Period."

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The recommended duration is about 4 hours. The route starts and ends at JR Gojo Station on the JR Wakayama Line. From Osaka, you can either take the Kintetsu Minami Osaka and Yoshino Lines to Yoshinoguchi Station and transfer there, or take the JR Yamatoji Line to Oji Station and transfer to the Wakayama Line.

From Gojo Station, it takes about 15 minutes to walk to the Kuriyama Family Residence near Shinmachi-guchi. Enter Shinmachi-dori from Shinmachi-guchi, compare the walls and windows of the machiya townhouses, and stop by the Machiyakan. Continuing west along the street, you can see the arches left from the unfinished Goshin Railway line. Shinmachi-dori is a narrow street with one-way vehicular traffic, so if arriving by car, park in a nearby parking lot and explore on foot.

From Shinmachi to Kongo-ji Temple, the straight-line distance is about 860 meters to the east-southeast. From Gojo Station, it is about 2 km, or a 25-minute walk. Look up at the bell hanging in the Sanmon gate and tour the peony garden and the garden of the monks' quarters.

From Kongo-ji Temple to Eisan-ji Temple, the straight-line distance is about 2.1 km to the east-northeast. From Gojo Station by taxi, it takes about 8 minutes to Kongo-ji Temple and about 5 minutes to Eisan-ji Temple, so using a taxi or car makes traveling between these points easier. If walking, it is about 2.1 km along a mostly flat road from Gojo Station to Eisan-ji Temple, taking about 25 minutes. If taking a bus from the Gojo Bus Center, get off at "Eisanji-guchi"; the temple is about 10 minutes from there, though buses are infrequent. At Eisan-ji Temple, after viewing the Octagonal Hall and the temple bell, turn your attention to the Yoshino River, which is also known as the Otonashi River (Soundless River).

Entry into the interior of the Octagonal Hall is limited to special viewings during the public exhibition periods from April 25 to the last Sunday in May, and from October 25 to the last Sunday in November. These periods overlap with the peonies at Kongo-ji Temple in spring and the small chrysanthemums from late October to early November in autumn, allowing you to enjoy both if you plan your visit accordingly.

Summary of the Experience

Walk along a street with the lattice and mushiko windows of Edo-period machiya townhouses, admire a peony garden framed by the Yoshino River, and stand before an Octagonal Hall dating back to the Nara period. The lifestyle of a merchant town, flowers planted for medicine, and memories of the Fujiwara clan and the Southern Court are woven seamlessly along the Yoshino River. Finally, listen closely to the sound of the river flowing below Eisan-ji Temple, and recall the legend of the "Otonashi River," whose sound is said to have been stilled by Kobo Daishi.