Inamibetsuin Zuisenji Temple

This ancient temple is located at the foot of Mt. The spacious temple grounds are lined with prestigious halls and towers, and are decorated with numerous carvings as the birthplace of Iba sculpture.

The temple is said to have been founded in 1390 by Jodo Shinshu priest, the fifth generation of Honganji (Jogan-ji), and is also known as the place where Emperor Komatsu received an imperial commandment. It once flourished as the center of the Ikkyu sect of Buddhism.

Zuisenji Temple is known as the largest temple in the Hokuriku region, decorated with Iba sculptures. The delicate and magnificent carvings are one of the highlights of the temple. The carvings were created by Iba sculptors, whose skills are said to be the best in Japan, and they utilize their superb techniques.

Zuisenji Temple has a main hall, Taishido Hall, a gate, and other buildings. The Taishido Hall, in particular, is decorated with a number of magnificent carvings, the fineness and beauty of which are a sight to behold.

The carvings, made using traditional Iba carving techniques, are a symbol of Iba as a town of wood carving. The approach to Zuisenji Temple is lined with wood carving workshops, and the sounds of the carvers’ techniques reverberate through the air. The beautiful sound of the chisels has been selected as one of the 100 best soundscapes in Japan.

Iba Sculpture

It is said that Iba Sculpture began when local carpenters apprenticed themselves to temple carpenters and sculptors sent from Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto to rebuild Zuisenji Temple, which had been destroyed by fire.

As the craftsmen worked to rebuild the temple, the techniques of Iba sculpture came together.

Town of Wood Carving

Yokaicho Street (Zuisenji-mae Street), which stretches in front of the Zuisenji Temple gate, is lined with carvers’ workshops, warehouses, and souvenir stores, with its lattice-door townhouses and stone-paved streets creating a charming atmosphere.

The eaves of the stores are decorated with carved wooden zodiac animals and nameplates, and the entire street is adorned with wooden signboards and carved wooden bus stops, all of which are characteristic of the town of woodcarving.