Nara City Tourism Association

Shomyo-ji Temple is said to have been founded as a seminary for Buddhist chanting and meditation, by the brothers Sen'ei and Rin'ei, who were learned priests from Kofuku-ji Temple, and the monk Chonin Shonin from Sanko-ji Temple in Nishiyama, Kyoto. It was originally a branch temple of Kofuku-ji Temple, and was also known as Kohoku-ji Temple as it was located north ("hoku") of Kofuku-ji Temple.

The hondo (main hall) enshrines the three statues of Koen Kobutsu (Amida Nyorai), Shaka Nyorai, and Amida Nyorai.

The temple precincts also house the statues of Sentai Jizo (One Thousand Jizo). There are as many as 1,900 of these statues, which are stone Jizo statues that were used on the walls of Tamon Castle when Matsunaga Hisahide, a military commander during the warring states period, built it in 1560.

Murata Juko, a monk at Shomyo-ji Temple and known as the originator of Japanese tea ceremony, is said to have built the chashitsu (tea room) Dokuro-an (commonly known as Juko-an), and opened up the new realm of the style of tea ceremony known as wabi-cha. A memorial service is held on the anniversary of his death on May 16, during which time the hondo and chashitsu are open to the public.