Gyogakuin Kakurinbo

Accommodation facilities within the grounds of a Japanese temple or shrine are known as “shukubo.” In recent years, these shukubo have become popular places for tourists to stay. Originally established to accommodate visiting priests and novice monks, the Kakurinbo temple shukubo today welcomes visitors from around the world. Kakurinbo is part of Gyogakuin Kakurinbo, a sub-temple of Minobusan Kuonji, the head temple of the 750-year-old Nichiren school of Buddhism. It was founded some 550 years ago by Nitcho Daishonin, a disciple of Nichiren and posthumously recognized as a deity of eyesight and learning. As such, it is a particularly prestigious shukubo, even for an area rich in Buddhist heritage.

During the Edo period (1603-1867,) Kakurinbo was strongly linked to the Tokugawa family, and particularly Ietsuna, the dynasty’s fourth shogun. Today, it looks after a large number of cultural properties, including Buddhist altar fittings donated by the Tokugawa clan, a traditional garden, Nitcho-do (a Nichiren Buddhist temple,) and a “hengaku” large, inscribed signboard. The shukubo building itself is over 100 years old, part of a traditional Japanese experience featuring ancient cultural properties accumulated over centuries and a natural environment shaped over millennia.

Kakurinbo offers guests over 25 activities and experiences broadly divided into “temple experiences” and “local cultural experiences.” As well as familiar Japanese cultural activities, such as trying on wedding kimonos and learning Japanese calligraphy, guests can enjoy special Buddhist experiences such as transcribing sutra and carving Buddha figurines. These activities are led by local artisans and are a great chance for guests to experience traditional and authentic Japanese culture. Other popular activities include hiking up nearby sacred mountains, e-bike rides to hot springs, and visits to the Fuji Five Lakes area. In the evening, guests can visit local festivals or karaoke bars.

Kakurinbo is located in Minobusan, which is two-and-a-half hours from Tokyo by car, or three hours by highway bus. It is also easily accessed from Nagoya and Osaka via the Chuo Expressway, the Tomei Expressway, and the Chubu-Odan Expressway. Since it is just over one hour from Shizuoka Airport by car, it can also be easily reached from Hokkaido, Kyushu, and other more distant locations.

Kakurinbo is a cultural property associated with over 750 years of history. In recent years, popular tourist destinations such as Kyoto, Koyasan, and Lake Kawaguchi have become very overcrowded. However, in Minobusan, visitors can relax in scenic natural surroundings as they leisurely appreciate the history and cultural heritage of Nichiren Buddhism.

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