Shonenji Hondo Temple 称念寺本堂

Stunning dragon relief carving

You have to go way out of your way to see Shonenji, a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple in Chiba's Chosei District. I highly recommend it as a stop on a drive through the region as you'll be rewarded with a peep at some masterworks of the woodcarver Nami no Ihachi. On a tour of the region under the guidance of Isumi City's personnel, I visited this enigma. It's not indicated by name on Google Maps. You can't enter the temple as a rule. However, you can spy the ornate carvings on the sanmon and chumon gates, and peep in through the grill of the main hall to see the high relief carving of a dragon in full flight. The temple is a 15 minute drive from Mobara Station on the JR Sotobo line.