This Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple was built in the late Edo Period by the Tokugawa Shogunate in an attempt to indoctrinate the Ezo region (Hokkaido), among other reasons. It’s also known as one of the “three government temples of Ezo.” The triple leaf crests on the main temple’s entrance and the old gates testify to the temple’s prestigious status at the time.
The grounds of Kokutai Temple are open to the public. Materials and documents related to the temple are preserved in the local history museum located in front of it (0153-52-3794).
