Is Sofukuji a shrine or a temple?

It is a Buddhist temple of the Obaku Zen sect, founded in 1629 by the Chinese monk Chaoran. It is not a Shinto shrine and not a Confucian shrine, both of which also exist in Nagasaki and follow entirely different traditions and visitor conventions.

What are the National Treasures at Sofukuji?

Two structures hold National Treasure status: the Daiyu Hoden Buddha Hall, built in China and reassembled in Nagasaki in 1646, and the Daiippomon First Gate, built in China in 1644 and reassembled at the temple entrance in 1695.

Is the red Ryugamon gate a National Treasure?

No. The Ryugamon, or Dragon Palace Gate, dates from 1673 and was rebuilt in 1849. It is a notable historic gate and one of the temple's most photographed features, but the National Treasure designations belong to the Daiyu Hoden and the Daiippomon.

What are the opening hours?

The temple is open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Hours can be adjusted for ceremonies, so allow some margin if you are arriving close to closing time.

Which tram stop serves Sofukuji?

The stop is called Sofukuji and is the terminus of tram lines 1 and 4, leaving about a 3 minute walk to the gate. It is one of the most convenient temple approaches in the city.

Why was Sofukuji built by Chinese merchants?

Nagasaki was Japan's regulated port for foreign trade, and merchants from Fuzhou in Fujian Province formed a resident community there. They commissioned the temple in 1629 for their own religious life, which is why its architecture follows southern Chinese rather than Japanese convention.

How long does a visit take?

Around 30 to 45 minutes for the gates and lower grounds, and closer to an hour if you climb the staircase to spend time at both National Treasure structures.

Can I combine Sofukuji with Kofukuji in one visit?

Yes. The two are 8 to 10 minutes apart on foot along the Teramachi temple row, and both were founded by Chinese clergy for Nagasaki's Chinese community, so they explain each other. Each has its own admission charge.

Is there parking at Sofukuji?

Yes. Free parking for about ten cars is available beside the Sanmon Gate, which is unusual in this part of Nagasaki. Spaces are limited, so arriving early helps.

Sofukuji Temple

Q: Is Sofukuji wheelchair accessible?

Not to the main halls. Nagasaki City's own barrier-free information records steps at the Sanmon entrance and a long staircase up to the National Treasure halls with no wheelchair bypass. Visitors who cannot climb are advised that they can still appreciate the exterior and the atmosphere from the ticket gate and parking area.

By Andrew Liyan · Last updated: August 14, 2026

Quick Answer

Hours

Daily 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Admission

¥500 adults, ¥200 middle- and high-school students, ¥100 elementary-school students

Nearest Station

Sofukuji tram stop, the terminus of tram lines 1 and 4, about a 3 minute walk

Best Time

Weekday mornings, before tour groups reach the upper halls

Visit Duration

30 to 45 minutes, longer if you climb to both National Treasure structures

Vermilion two-story Chinese gate and stone staircase at Sofukuji Temple in Kajiyamachi, Nagasaki

Area: Kajiyamachi, Nagasaki
Best For: History, Architecture, Photography, Culture
Nearby: Kofukuji Temple · Meganebashi Bridge

Visiting Sofukuji Temple

Sofukuji Temple in Nagasaki, Japan is a Buddhist temple of the Obaku Zen sect and a sister institution to Kofukuji a short walk north. It is not a shrine, and the distinction is worth holding onto in this part of the city, where a Buddhist temple, a Shinto shrine, and a Confucian shrine all sit within a few tram stops of each other.

The temple was founded in 1629 by the Chinese Buddhist monk Chaoran, also written Chonen, and it was commissioned specifically by and for the merchants from Fuzhou in Fujian Province who were living and trading in Nagasaki. That regional identity is the key to the place. Where Kofukuji drew its patrons from one part of coastal China, Sofukuji drew its own, and each community built a temple in the architectural idiom of home.

What sets Sofukuji apart from every other temple in the city is that two of its structures are designated National Treasures, the highest grade of protection in the Japanese system. The Daiyu Hoden, the Buddha Hall, was built in China and shipped to Nagasaki in pieces, then reassembled here in 1646. The Daiippomon, or First Gate, was built in China in 1644 and reassembled at the temple entrance in 1695. This is the famous vermilion two-story gate that appears in almost every photograph of the temple.

A third gate, the bright red Ryugamon or Dragon Palace Gate, dates from 1673 and was rebuilt in 1849. It is a striking and historically significant structure, and it is the one many visitors mistakenly assume carries the National Treasure designation, but the two National Treasures at Sofukuji are the Daiyu Hoden and the Daiippomon.

Sofukuji is arranged up a slope, and that layout has real consequences for who can see what. Nagasaki City's own barrier-free information states plainly that there are steps at the Sanmon entrance and a long staircase leading up to the National Treasure halls, with no wheelchair bypass. Visitors unable to manage the stairs are advised that they can still take in the exterior and the atmosphere of the temple from the ticket gate and parking area. That is a genuine limitation rather than a formality, and it is worth knowing before you buy a ticket.

Access is otherwise about as easy as Nagasaki sightseeing gets. The tram stop is literally called Sofukuji and is the terminus of tram lines 1 and 4, leaving a walk of roughly three minutes to the gate. There is also free parking for about ten cars beside the Sanmon Gate, which is unusual in central Nagasaki.

Most visitors spend 30 to 45 minutes here, or a little longer if they climb to see both National Treasure structures properly. Combined with Kofukuji and the walk along Teramachi, the temple slots neatly into a half day that ends at Meganebashi Bridge.

Things to Do at Sofukuji Temple

Stand under the Daiippomon gate
The vermilion two-story First Gate was built in China in 1644 and reassembled at the temple entrance in 1695. It is a National Treasure, and it is the image most people carry away from Sofukuji. Look at the bracketing under the eaves, which follows Chinese rather than Japanese carpentry conventions.
Climb to the Daiyu Hoden Buddha Hall
The Buddha Hall is the temple's second National Treasure, built in China and shipped to Nagasaki in pieces for reassembly in 1646. Reaching it means taking the long staircase from the lower grounds, and it is the reason to allow closer to an hour if you want to see both designated structures properly.
Look closely at the Ryugamon gate
The bright red Dragon Palace Gate dates from 1673 and was rebuilt in 1849. It is not one of the temple's two National Treasures, but it is a notable historic structure in its own right and one of the most photographed pieces of Chinese-style architecture in the city.
Trace the Fuzhou connection
Sofukuji was commissioned for merchants from Fuzhou in Fujian Province, and the temple reads as a piece of Fujian transplanted into Nagasaki. Reading it alongside Kofukuji, founded for a different Chinese regional community, shows how the port's foreign quarter organized itself by place of origin.
Check the stairs before you commit
Nagasaki City's official barrier-free information notes steps at the Sanmon entrance and a long staircase up to the National Treasure halls, with no wheelchair bypass. Visitors who cannot climb are advised that the exterior and atmosphere can still be appreciated from the ticket gate and parking area, so it is worth deciding your route before buying a ticket.
Follow Buddhist etiquette in the halls
As at Kofukuji, the convention is gassho, a quiet bow with palms pressed together, at the gate and before the main hall, without clapping. Keep conversation low inside the halls and check posted signs before taking photographs indoors.
Walk north to Kofukuji
Kofukuji is 8 to 10 minutes away on foot along the Teramachi temple row, and the two Chinese-founded Obaku temples make far more sense seen together than separately. The walk itself passes a string of smaller temple gates and walls.

How to Get to Sofukuji Temple

Sofukuji is at the southern end of the Teramachi temple district, and it is one of the easiest temples in Japan to reach by tram, since a tram terminus is named after it and sits three minutes from the gate.

From Nagasaki Station
Board tram line 1 at the Nagasaki Ekimae stop and ride south toward the Sofukuji terminus, a trip of roughly 15 minutes with no changes on most services. From the stop, walk about 3 minutes to the Sanmon Gate.
Trams are flat fare, run frequently through the day, and are the simplest way to cover Nagasaki's linear city center. A one-day tram pass is worth buying if Sofukuji is one of several stops.
From Kofukuji Temple and Teramachi
Kofukuji is about 8 to 10 minutes north on foot. Walking between the two along the Teramachi temple row is the most rewarding approach, since the street is lined with temple walls and side gates that never appear on any itinerary.
Meganebashi Bridge sits a similar distance away, roughly 5 to 10 minutes, which makes a Sofukuji, Kofukuji, and Meganebashi loop straightforward on foot.
By car and on wheels
Free parking for about ten cars is available beside the Sanmon Gate, unusual for central Nagasaki, though the spaces fill quickly at peak times. Note that the site itself has steps at the entrance and a long staircase to the upper halls with no wheelchair bypass, so wheeled visitors should plan to experience the temple from the ticket gate and parking area.

Map

Open Sofukuji Temple in Google Maps

Best Time to Visit Sofukuji Temple

Weekday mornings soon after the 8:00 AM opening, when the vermilion gate catches early light and the staircase to the upper halls is clear of tour groups.

Spring

March to May

Comfortable temperatures make the climb to the upper halls far easier than in summer, and the red gates read well against fresh green foliage.

Summer

June to August

Hot, humid, and wet through the June rainy season. The staircase is exposed in places, so carry water and go early if you plan to reach the Buddha Hall.

Autumn

October to November

The best walking weather of the year for pairing Sofukuji with Kofukuji along Teramachi. Expect a busier city during the Nagasaki Kunchi festival on October 7 to 9.

Winter

December to February

Quiet and cool, with the fewest visitors. Stone steps can be slick after rain, so footwear with grip is worth having on the climb.

Entry Fee & Hours

🎟️

Admission

Admission is ¥500 for adults, ¥200 for middle- and high-school students, and ¥100 for elementary-school students. Nagasaki City's tourism authority states that a visitor presenting a disability certificate and one accompanying caregiver enter free. Confirm payment options at the gate.

⏰

Hours

Open daily from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Hours may be adjusted for temple ceremonies and for the annual Chinese-influenced observances the temple holds.

Admission

Admission admission prices in JPY and approximate USD
Category	Price (JPY)	Approx. (USD)
Adult	¥500	~$3.30
Middle and high school student	¥200	~$1.30
Elementary school student	¥100	~$0.65

Visitors presenting a disability certificate, plus one accompanying caregiver, are admitted free, per Nagasaki City's tourism authority. Confirm payment options at the gate; USD figures are approximate and move with the exchange rate.

💡Good to Know

•Admission is ¥500 for adults, ¥200 for middle- and high-school students, and ¥100 for elementary-school students.
•One official source states that visitors holding a disability certificate, plus one caregiver, enter free of charge.
•Bring cash. Card and IC card payment should not be assumed at the gate.
•Free parking for about ten cars is available beside the Sanmon Gate, which is rare in this part of central Nagasaki.