Ryosen-ji Temple

Higashi-Izu / Minami-Izu / Nishi-IzuArea

This temple is located in Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture which was built in 1635 with the support of the 2nd Shimoda “bugyo” (shogunate magistrate), Denshiro Masanaga Imamura. In the Edo period, Shimoda was where the magistrates’ office was located and was known as Edo’s gateway to the sea. It was also known as the place where the Japan-US Treaty of Peace and Amity was concluded between Perry and the Japanese authorities at the end of the Tokugawa period. Hundreds of American Jasmine were planted all along the approach road to the grounds of the temple, so the temple also has the pseudonym of “Jasmine Temple”. The jasmine flowers do be in full bloom from the middle of May up to late May and also in July and September, one-third in bloom. The temple is located 10 minutes by foot from Izukyu-line Shimoda Station.