Saishoin is a Shingon temple of the Chisan branch in Hirosaki's old temple district, and it is known locally simply as the five-storey-pagoda temple. The pagoda was finished in 1667 after more than ten years of work, paid for by the third and fourth lords of the Tsugaru domain, and it is the northernmost five-storey pagoda designated an Important Cultural Property in Japan — a designation it has held since 1908. The temple stands among the dense cluster of temples in the Shintera and Zenringai neighbourhoods south of Hirosaki Castle, and its halls hold the Five Wisdom Buddhas along with a hexagonal hall for Kichijoten Kannon.

Best season

Spring · Autumn

Crowd level

Hidden gem

Admission

NOT VERIFIED — no fee figure is recorded here. The temple's own site (saishouin.com) did not resolve on 2026-09-02 and ja.wikipedia carries no admission information. Temple grounds in this class are commonly free to enter, but 'commonly' is not a source; confirm before approving.

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