AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Futaiji (不退寺), fully named Monmyōsan Futaiji, is a working temple of the Ōtani school of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, headed by the Higashi Hongwanji main temple in Kyoto. Founded in 1982 and rebuilt on its present grounds in Utonaiminami, it is a modest parish temple rather than a sightseeing landmark—but it welcomes visitors freely, runs a daily morning liturgy year-round, and rings its bell for the New Year.↗↗↗
For a traveler, the appeal is the chance to step inside an ordinary, living Japanese Buddhist practice: a light-filled barrier-free main hall, a columbarium where families leave offerings, seasonal festivals open to outsiders, and a steady rhythm of chanting and memorial services. It also sits conveniently close to JR Numahata Station and within easy reach of Shin-Chitose Airport, making it an unhurried stop for anyone exploring the southern Ishikari coast.↗↗
A temple that keeps its doors open
Futaiji belongs to Shinshu Ōtani-ha, the Ōtani branch of the Pure Land tradition founded by the priest Shinran. The founding abbot, a priest from Niigata named Shinbō Shūshi, first raised the temple at Numahata in Tomakomai in 1982. Seeking room for parking and better facilities, the community later acquired about 2,000 tsubo of grounds at Utonaiminami, where a columbarium went up in 2004 and the current main hall in 2006, completing the move to today's address.
