Ekoji Buddhist Temple

{{Short description|Temple in Virginia, US}}

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Ekoji Buddhist Temple

| image = George Mason University IMG 1153 (6172571455).jpg

| caption = Entrance to Ekoji Buddhist Temple

| coordinates = {{Coord|38|46|26|N|77|18|2.6|W|display=inline,title}}

| religious_affiliation = Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism

| location = 6500 Lakehaven Lane
Fairfax Station, Virginia

| country = United States

| municipality =

| tradition = Buddhist Churches of AmericaJōdo ShinshūPure Land

| leadership =

| founded_by = Rev. Kenryu Tsuji and Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata

| established = 1981

| website = http://www.ekoji.org

}}

{{nihongo|Ekoji|恵光寺|Ekō-ji}} is a temple of the Jōdo Shinshū Hongwanji-ha Japanese Buddhist sect in Fairfax Station, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. It is a member of the Buddhist Churches of America,{{cite web |title=Find a Temple |url=https://www.buddhistchurchesofamerica.org/find-a-temple |website=Buddhist Churches of America |accessdate=2023-03-29 }} the oldest Buddhist organization in the mainland United States.

Ekoji (literally in Japanese, "Temple of the Gift of Light") was founded in 1981; its initial location was an office condominium building located in Springfield, Virginia, and a larger temple was constructed in Fairfax Station, Virginia, in 1998. The temple was established through the beneficial efforts of the late Rev. Kenryu Tsuji (1919-2004), the former Bishop of the Buddhist Churches of America, and the late Rev. Dr. Yehan Numata, a Japanese businessman and devout Jodo Shinshu Buddhist.{{cite news |title=Om Sweet Om |date=2018-02-27 |last=Spencer |first=Paul |access-date=2023-04-03 |url=https://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/om-sweet-om/Content?oid=7380417|work=Style Weekly}} He also established the Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai ("Society for the Promotion of Buddhism") to help spread Buddhism throughout the world.

Reverend Nariaki Hayashi became the full-time resident minister in 2016. However, as of 2022, he has left to be the minister of the Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple.

As of 2023, Ekoji has a chapter of the Young Buddhist Association.

The temple serves as the headquarters for the taiko drumming ensemble Nen Daiko.{{cite web |title=Nen Daiko |url=http://nendaiko.weebly.com/ |accessdate=2023-04-11 }}{{cite web |title=Buddhist Ekoji - Nen Daiko - Japanese Taiko Drumming |url=https://www.si.edu/object/buddhist-ekoji-nen-daiko-japanese-taiko-drumming:yt_Im2m2iFA9wg |website=Smithsonian Institution |accessdate=2023-04-11 }}

There are several Ekoji Temples in Japan, as well as in Düsseldorf, Germany and Mexico City.