ryuuguu tera

Ryugu-ji is a temple of the Jodo sect located in Reisen-machi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City. Its mountain name is Reisen-zan, and the principal image is Sho-Kannon (Sacred Avalokitesvara). According to legend, a mermaid (ningyo) washed ashore near this site during the Kamakura period, and a mound was erected in its honor — giving the temple its dragon-palace (ryugu) name. The eminent monk Zenni Ryochu, who spread the Jodo sect, was involved in its revival, supported by the wealthy Hakata merchant Sha Kokumin. Under the patronage of the Kuroda clan of Fukuoka domain during the Edo period, it flourished as a central Jodo temple in Hakata. The mermaid mound and dragon-related relics remain within the grounds today, quietly bearing witness to Hakata's exotic history.