Bannaji Temple sits just north of Ashikaga School and keeps the outline of a medieval samurai residence. Its square grounds, moat, old trees, and low buildings make it feel more like a fortified family compound than a formal temple complex.
The temple was founded by Ashikaga Yoshikane in the early Kamakura period. The main hall and several other structures are protected cultural properties, but the pleasure here is also simple: wandering under the ginkgo and cherry trees in the middle of town.