Buddhist temple
Heiken-ji
平間寺（へいけんじ）
Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
A grand head temple (daihonzan) of the Chisan school of the Shingon sect, known as “Kawasaki Daishi.” Its principal image is a statue of Yakuyoke Kōbō Daishi said to have been drawn up from the sea, and goma prayers are performed every day.
English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む
Prayers associated with this place
Principal image: Yakuyoke Kōbō Daishi
History and things to know
According to the temple's engi (account of its origins), it began when Hirama Kanenori, following a revelation in a dream, drew up a statue of Kōbō Daishi from the sea and enshrined it in a thatched hut. In Daiji 3 (1128) he built a temple together with Sonken Shōnin of Kōyasan and named it Heiken-ji after his surname, Hirama (平間). In the Edo period Tokugawa Ienari also visited, and it became widely known as a temple for warding off misfortune.
Introduced by this site, based on materials from the shrine or temple and public bodies.
Before you visit
The Tokyo branch temple, Yagenbori Fudō-in, and the Kyoto branch temple, 笠原寺, are in different places from the main temple in Kawasaki (official guide).
Official website of the shrine or temple (may be in Japanese)
Sources (in Japanese)
- 平間寺「御祭神・御本尊・由緒の公式案内」（2026-10-22 確認）
This site is independent of the shrines, temples, and other websites mentioned. No partnership or endorsement is implied.