Shuzenji Buddhist Temple in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, literally means a temple to study Zen Buddhism.

This temple is said to be established in 807 by a high-ranking priest Kukai, the founder of the Shingon Buddhism, as a temple of the Shingon Sect.  In the 13^th century, Minamoto Yoriie, who was the 2^nd shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, was confined and killed in the temple as result of a political dispute.  After that, Rankei Doryu, s Chinese priest who disseminated Zen based in Kamakura, changed the temple from the Shingon Sect to Zen (The Rinzai Sect).

He also spread the temple name as far as China.  Although it was reduced to ashes and devastated in the 15^th century, Hojo Soun, the feudal lord of the region, rebuilt it as a Soto Sect Zen temple.  It once was a huge one as the former main gate stood two kilometers away from the present time Hondo main building.  Since the vicinity of the temple is well-known Shuzenji Onsen hot springs, many great writers and artists visited here for a rest leaving the masterpieces.  From a popular drama Suzenji Story by Okamoto Kido to the famous novels concerning to this historical resort by such as Masaoka Shiki , Natsume Soseki and Akutagawa Ryunosuke.  The artists wise, Yokoyama Taikan and Kawabata Ryushi dedicated their works to the temple.

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