Mt. Minobu & Minobu-san Kuonji temple

Shizuoka prefecture borders beautiful Yamanashi prefecture so it's a good place for a day trip. From Fuji Station, the Minobu Line train will take you to Minobu Town or further on Kofu (both excellent Yamanashi destinations). The trip from Fuji Station to Minobu takes about 85 minutes and costs 820 yen each way. This train ride covers an absolutely beautiful stretch along the Fuji River and through the mountains.


When you get off the train at Minobu, you will find yourself in the quaint, quiet downtown strip of the mountain town. Very much like something out of the past. Fall is particularly nice, when everything is wrapped in fog and the leaves are blazing red and yellow. Have yourself some ramen or udon with mountain vegetables and catch the bus to Mt. Minobu (about 15 minutes away).

Mt. Minobu and Minobu-san Kuonji temple are historically important. The temple was built by Nichiren Shonin, founder of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism in 1282. Among other things, Nichiren asserted the novel proposition that woman could attain enlightenment. His ashes are enshrined at Kuonji temple.

Entrance to Minobu-san

The never ending stairs that must be conquered before you reach the temple.
The local high school's baseball team uses it to train.
(There's also an easier trek through the forest for those who can't make it.)

Minobu-san Kuonji temple

Five story pagoda

The temple compound has many gardens.

Part of the view.

These cherry trees are hundreds of years old.

Fall leaves

There's also a parking lot for cars in case you're driving. If you're interested, you can also take a cable car further up for a view of the mountains all around.

Bishamonten Daruma Festival

This Sunday, February 21, 2010 was the annual Bishamonten Daruma Festival in the Yoshiwara neighborhood of Fuji City. I'm not sure if it's held on this day every year. Possibly it's always on the third Sunday in February.

Just take the JR train to Yoshiwara Station and, after you get off, follow the masses of people. You can eat any manner of food on sticks including choco-bananas and candied grapes. There are also yummy grilled festival favorites like okonomiyake, yakitori and yakisoba.

First, make your way to the shrine, where you can throw a coin into the offering box and say a prayer.

Or, you can rub the statue of the Buddha for good luck, get your fortune, or bathe in smoke from the sacred fire.

Some people even bring their pets to be blessed.

But you've come here for Daruma dolls and there are plenty of those. They come in various colors that signify different things. Red is the color of the traditional Daruma, but I'm told that pink, for example, is for luck in love.
As you can see, the eyes are blank. You have to fill them in yourself with a black felt tip pen or whatever - the first when you make a wish, the second when the wish comes true.

I think the beauty of the Daruma may be about focus and goal setting rather than believing that actual power lies in the doll. But I don't know enough about it. I've read that it's tradition to take the dolls back to the temple where you got them at the end of the year to be burned.

Local residents work at the festival

A Japanese family takes a picture in front of the shrine