Soujiji Soin (Soujiji Temple Ancestral Building) is the official name of Shogoku-san Soujiji Temple. In the past, it was the headquarters of the Soto Zen sect of Buddhism, which controlled some 80% of Japan's 10,000 temples. About 700 years ago, in the first year of the Kyo period (1321), Keizan-Jokin Zenji established this temple, which became the first 'school for the success of the Soto sect'.

In time, Soujiji Soin flourished and was patronised by powerful families of that time. The number of its branch temples increased, but diminished during the era of civil war in the Warring States period.

In the Edo period, Soujiji Soin was renovated by the Maeda family. In the first year of the Genna period (1615), it was designated as a national shrine by the Tokugawa government. It has more than 70 buildings and many monks came here to train themselves. In Meiji 31 (1898), following a fire which destroyed most of the temple buildings, the headquarters were moved to Tsurumi in Yokohama City, while Soujiji Temple was renovated as ancestral buildings.

The gateway and Buddhist sanctum were rebuilt on the site of the old temple in grounds of about 66,000m2.  Together, they impart the dignified atmosphere of an old temple.