At the bottom of the foothills of the Echizen mountains is Gotanjoji, commonly known as Fukui's Cat Temple. This Zen Temple, of the same Soto school as Eiheiji further north, is famous for its peaceful atmosphere and its love for stray cats.
Cat lovers should strongly consider making the trip down to Gotanjoji as, despite being a little out of the way, it offers cat-themed fortune slips called omikuji, a cat themed goshuin-cho and a variety of goshuin seals themselves featuring cats.
Of course, the centrepiece of the temple is the "Neko Daibutsu", featuring the Buddha with cats playing. While far from the largest Buddha statue in Japan (less than 6 metres), it is unique in its playful charm.
Indeed, cats are everywhere in Gotanjoji: the temple houses more than 30 strays, taking in more every year. This has given it the moniker "Neko-dera" (The Cat Temple) among locals. Visitors who time it just right may even see many of the cats being fed - usually at around 08:00 A.M. and 03:30 P.M.
Beyond cats, the temple offers free zazen meditation sessions every Sunday beginning at 01:30 P.M.
Goshuin at Gotanjoji
Gotanjoji has a variety of goshuin stamps and books available, with many featuring cats in some way, shape or form. These books shown below include cat (and a dog) designs. The book on the left reads "The Matchmaking between Lives" and is an idiom of the things that connect all people, while the character on the other page incorporates a cat's tail onto the character for "dream."
The books change quite frequently, so the options may be different when you go!
Gotanjoji also offers a variety of goshuin red seals to go along with your book. Several cover single pages, while double-page spreads are also available. Again, many of these feature cat designs and change frequently.
The most striking goshuin is a four-page spread which features a great dragon, often associated as the protector of Fukui. Four-page goshuin are extremely rare, so collectors looking for something truly unique may be interested in making the trip here!
Visit Fukui
In 2023, the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened its extension to Tsuruga City in Fukui Prefecture. Since then, Fukui has been more accessible than ever as it now has two stops on the main Hokuriku Shinkansen route, Tsuruga Station and Fukui Station.
Fukui remains a quiet and tranquil region despite that accessibility, though. If you're planning a trip to Japan and are looking to get away from the crowded streets of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, Fukui could be a great place to enjoy some peace, quiet and fresh air!
There is plenty to do in this wonderful region. If you're looking for suggestions, check out our "Things to Do in Fukui" page to get yourself started. This guide has everything that you need to spend a couple of days in the area.
If you're looking for more information about goshuin, be sure to check out our "Best Goshuin Near Fukui" page for more information!