Sogen-ji

• Japanese: 崇元寺 (Sougen-ji)

Sôgen-ji was a Buddhist temple in Naha, Okinawa. All that survives of it today are its thick, heavy stone gates, which were originally constructed during an expansion of the temple in 1496.

At that same time in 1496, stelae were erected in honor of all the kings of Ryûkyû; the temple was thus so sacred and important that even the current king himself was expected to dismount before passing through the gates.

References

• Kerr, George. Okinawa: The History of an Island People. Revised Edition. Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp109ff.