Shengguang Temple

Located at the foot of Mt. Onagayama, the temple was once known as Banshozan Zuisenji in the Soto sect. It is unclear when it was first established, but the monk Shuson was well received by Mori Motonari and his son. As a result of this connection, it is said that his grandson Terumoto stayed at the temple in 1589 when he climbed the current Futabayama and other areas to inspect the location of the castle pond in preparation for the construction of Hiroshima Castle. The temple's fortunes subsequently declined, and during the Asano era it became a branch temple of Kokutai-ji. As a result, the temple's name was changed to Hiroshimayama. Later, in 1975, it merged with the head temple Sojiji Onochodo Keizan Shoko-ji in Komachi, Naka-ku, and the temple's name was changed to Shoko-ji. In 1989, a golden statue of the Seiko Kannon was erected on the hilltop. In the dry landscape garden "Dokeien" to the right of the main hall, there is a riddle character in a circle that resembles an old coin, "Wareta da taru shiru (I am only satisfied)". This is a phrase from the teachings of Buddha, and it means that one should not seek any more selfish desires at this time. In the courtyard, the Sixteen Arhats and Six Jizo statues are enshrined. Hotei, one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Futabayama, is enshrined. On the left side of the grounds of the Ako Gishi Oishi and his son's memorial tomb, there is a memorial tomb for the Ako Gishi Oishi Kuranosuke and his son, Kazura. After the raid, Terasaka Kichiemon, the only surviving Ako Gishi, visited Hiroshima and reported the success of the raid to the Hiroshima clan. On this occasion, he requested that the hair of Oishi Kuranosuke and his son, which he brought with him, be buried at Kokutai-ji, the family temple of the Ako clan's main family, the Hiroshima Asano clan, but because they were criminals, they were buried at Zuikawa-ji (now Shoko-ji). [Zazen session] Held in the temple's main hall from 6:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Friday of every month.