Sekijosan Saifukuji Temple is a Soto-Zen Buddhist temple in Niigata Prefecture. It was founded in 1534 in the late Muromachi period, but its central Buddha statue dates from the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Saifukuji is most famous in Japan for its magnificent and artfully decorated 'kaisando', a hall established to pay respect to the founders of the Zen Buddhist tradition that the temple is part of. It is considered a quiet and hidden spot that is not yet overrun by tourists, despite having great historical value. In winter, much of the grounds tends to be covered by snow, and temporary support structures for the old trees are set up to protect them from the weight of the snow. The temple is also very famous for it's beautiful architecture with intricately designed openwork wooded sculptures and paintings.