Find your inner peace high above Yamanashi at this 750-year-old Buddhist temple on top of Mt. Minobu.

Find your inner peace high above Yamanashi at this 750-year-old Buddhist temple on top of Mt. Minobu.

The majestic Minobusan Kuonji Temple on Mt. Minobu is the head temple of the Nichiren school of Buddhism, and as such has a history of 750 years. To reach the temple, visitors must first climb a massive stone staircase. Conquering the 287 mossy steps is thought to be part of one’s Buddhist training, a small ordeal to surmount on the path to enlightenment. After arriving at the top, visitors are welcomed by the sight of a 39-meter-tall red pagoda, the fourth tallest in Japan. After catching your breath, step inside the main hall of Kuonji Temple to admire the ceiling, where a dragon painted in black ink on gold leaf gazes down imperiously.

In addition to the main hall, there are a number of temple buildings connected by walking trails, so this is a pleasant spot for a light hike. The temple is particularly beautiful in spring when the 400-year-old shidare-zakura (weeping cherry tree) beside the main hall is in bloom. Keep your eyes peeled as you wander the grounds and you may be rewarded with a glimpse of the wild creatures that live in the surrounding forest. For those who want to enjoy the landscape below Mt. Minobu without breaking a sweat, there’s an old-fashioned ropeway that can whisk you up to a height of 1,153 meters, offering views of the river valley and a path that leads to the Minobusan Okunoin Sisinkaku.

Visitors are welcome to join the three daily prayer services. Morning services take place in the main hall at either 5:30 or 6 a.m., depending on the time of year. The afternoon service takes place at 3 p.m. in the Buddha Hall. To truly experience the spiritual atmosphere of the area you can opt to stay overnight at nearby shukubo temple lodgings and sample elegant shojin-ryori (vegetarian temple cuisine).

Minobusan Kuonji Temple

Minobusan Kuonji Temple

About four hours from Tokyo by train and bus, one of the best views of Yamanashi’s landscape also comes with a bit of history and the revered culture of Buddhism in Japan. Head up Mt. Minobu to truly feel Japanese culture while making your lungs happy with the fresh mountain air.

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