Photo: そらみみ (Soramimi) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Shofukuji, founded in 1195 by the monk Eisai after returning from Chinese Song Dynasty, is the first Zen Buddhist temple established on Japanese soil. Eisai also brought back tea seeds from China and planted them in the Hakata hills — a dual legacy that gave Japan both its primary Buddhist sect and its defining beverage. The temple grounds, occupying a full city block behind the hotel district, contain buildings that have burned and been rebuilt multiple times but maintain an austere Rinzai design unchanged since the Kamakura period.
Essential Information
Opening Hours
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Closed: Open year-round
Entrance Fee
Free | Tea packets (gift shop): ¥600
Best Season
Year-round | Early morning (9:00–10:00 AM) for quiet monastic atmosphere
Visit Duration
30–45 minutes
Getting There
Access Information
Insider Guide
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