in Minobu, Yamanashi
Kuonji is a major Buddhist temple located in Minobu, Yamanashi. It is the head temple for the Nichiren sect of Buddhism and was founded in the 1200s by Nichiren himself. The temple was especially popular during the Sengoku and Edo periods, and it is still a well-traveled pilgrimage destination for monks. It is especially popular during spring as thousands of cherry trees bloom. The temple is home to two 400 year old weeping cherry trees that are regularly featured on the news each spring. We visited last weekend and the Kuonji weeping cherry blossom trees were so beautiful!
My Experience
We decided to do a last minute day trip to Yamanashi to visit this temple this past weekend. There wasn't much traffic on the drive to the temple. We actually saw many cherry blossom trees as soon as we reached Minobu! Although there were not many blossoming trees this past weekend in Tokyo, I could see the cherry blossom trees starting to appear on the mountains as we got closer to the temple. The parking lots near the temple filled up rather quickly, and we arrived around noon, so they had already closed off the street leading up to the temple for cars by the time we arrived. Instead we were instructed to park at the cultural center and take the shuttle bus. The shuttle bus was about a 10 minute ride and took us to the end of the street of the temple. We walked another 10 minutes to reach the gates.
There is an option to take a taxi up to the temple near the gate. However, we opted to walk up instead. There are three paths you can take to reach the temple. The first is the stairs of enlightenment, which are a steep 287 stone steps to reach the main temple grounds. It was so tall I couldn't even see the top until we got closer to the stairs! It's over 100 meters and was built in the 1600s. There is also a short hiking path that is less steep than the stairs. We opted for the path through the forest. It was still steep but very beautiful! The third is the paved road that leads up to the temple parking lot, which we took on the way back.
The temple grounds are filled with beautiful structures such as the five-storied pagoda, the Founder's Hall, and the Main Hall. Buddhist services are held in the main hall every morning that visitors can take part in. The temple grounds also have two large 400 year old shidarezakura or weeping cherry blossom trees. We were so lucky they were both in full bloom when we visited! The branches swaying in the wind were so beautiful and the cherry trees were massive. One is located near the Guest Hall and the other is located outside of the Founder's Hall. The shidarezakura are said to live longer than regular cherry blossom trees. It was quite windy as well so there were many cherry blossom petals and leaves blowing in the wind! There were a lot of people when we visited but it's definitely not as crowded as any of the popular places in Tokyo during peak cherry blossom season.
In back of the temple is Mt. Minobu. Mt. Minobu is over 1,100 meters tall and there is a hiking trail so you can hike up the mountain. There is also a ropeway available! I believe it takes a few hours to hike up the mountain but the ropeway ride is about 7 minutes and you can see the entire valley as well as Mt. Fuji on a clear day! It was absolutely beautiful. Apparently the river that runs through the valley below is one of the fastest moving rivers in Japan. There are also various temples and sites at the top of the mountain; however, it was so cold and windy that we weren't able to walk around much. Apparently there is also a 700 year old cherry blossom tree here too! We did try the Yuba dango while we were waiting to ride back down. It was so good! Yuba is skin that forms on the top when making tofu. It is what the area is known for!
Side note, there was also a lot of Yuru camp characters and merchandise at the shops on Mt. Minobu, so I wonder if it was featured in the anime?
To the west of the temple is the Nishitani valley. It is comprised of lodging, small temples, graves, and mausoleums. The area is also filled with cherry blossoms making it a very peaceful and beautiful place. We decided to pass through here on our way back down to the shuttle bus stop. This is also where Nichiren's remains are enshrined. Overall Kuonji is a very beautiful and spiritual place. It was so peaceful and the layout of the temple is incredibly scenic, especially during spring, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. We were so fortunate to be able to visit during peak season and on a beautiful day. I highly recommend visiting if you get the chance! The closest station in Minobu station, from which you can take a bus or taxi! I believe there is also a highway express buss that will take you directly to Minobu-san as well.
We also saw a stunning view of Mt. Fuji on our drive back!
Official Site
Address
3567 Minobu, Minobu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture, 409-2593
Access
Minobu station - 12 minutes by bus + 15 minute walk
Time
5:00 - 17:00
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