Fukuzen-ji Temple

In short

Fukuzen-ji Temple is a Shingon Buddhist temple near the port of Tomonoura, and the guest hall standing next to the main hall is called "Taichoro Hall." During the Edo period, it was customary for Fukuzen-ji Temple to serve as lodgings for the core members of the Joseon Tongsinsa missions. The temple grounds are a National Historic Site, and six historical documents related to the missions preserved at the temple are included in the "Archives of Joseon Tongsinsa," inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World register.

• ​Islands Viewed from the Tatami Room​​: From the tatami room of Taichoro Hall, you can take in a panoramic view of Bentenjima Island and Sensuijima Island floating in the calm Seto Inland Sea, with the window frame cutting out the scenery like a picture frame
• ​Calligraphy Left by the Missions​​: Materials associated with the missions are handed down at the temple, including the calligraphy in which the recording officer Yi Bang-eon praised the view from here as "Nitto Daiichi Keisho" in 1711
• ​A Guest Hall that Served as a Place of Exchange​​: Taichoro Hall was a guesthouse for receiving the envoys, and at the same time, it served as a place of exchange where the envoys and Japanese scholars of Chinese learning and calligraphers exchanged words and calligraphy

History and Highlights

​Fukuzen-ji Temple​ is a Shingon Buddhist temple located near the port of Tomonoura. The guest hall standing next to the main hall is called ​Taichoro Hall​​, and it is said to have been built around 1690 during the Genroku era of the Edo period.

During the Edo period, diplomatic delegations known as the Joseon Tongsinsa visited Japan on occasions such as the succession of shoguns. The Joseon missions stopped at Tomonoura on both their outward and return journeys, and it was customary for Fukuzen-ji Temple to serve as lodgings for core members of the mission, such as the senior envoy, vice-envoy, and recording officer (Jongsa-gwan). In 1711 (Shotoku 1), the recording officer Yi Bang-eon left behind calligraphy praising the view from here as "Nitto Daiichi Keisho"—meaning the most scenic spot in Japan. The Joseon mission of 1748 also left calligraphy bearing the name "Taichoro".

In 1994 (Heisei 6), the temple grounds were designated as a National Historic Site under the name "Joseon Tongsinsa Remains: Tomo Fukuzen-ji Grounds." Furthermore, six historical documents related to the Joseon missions preserved at the temple are included in the "Archives of Joseon Tongsinsa," which was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World register in 2017 (Heisei 29).

Viewing and Experience Points

• ​Islands Viewed from the Tatami Room​​: From the tatami room of Taichoro Hall, you can take in a panoramic view of Bentenjima Island and Sensuijima Island floating in the calm Seto Inland Sea. When you sit down on the tatami, the window frame cuts out the scenery like a picture frame.
• ​Calligraphy Left by the Missions​​: Historical materials associated with the Joseon missions, including the calligraphy pieces "Nitto Daiichi Keisho" and "Taichoro," are handed down at the temple. Standing before the scenery the envoys once gazed upon, imagine the words they left behind.
• ​A Guest Hall that Served as a Place of Exchange​​: Taichoro Hall was a guesthouse for receiving the Korean envoys, and at the same time, it served as a place of cultural exchange where the envoys and Japanese Confucian scholars and calligraphers exchanged words and calligraphy.

Walking Tips

To reach Fukuzen-ji Temple, take a bus from JR Fukuyama Station, get off at "Tomo Port," and walk for about 5 minutes. You can also stroll there through the townscape from the Joyato Stone Lantern, the symbol of the port. Sensuijima Island, viewed from Taichoro Hall, can be reached by a municipal ferry. The highlights of the port, townscape, and island are introduced in the spot guides for "Tomonoura," "Joyato Stone Lantern," and "Sensuijima Island."