Last updated 9 July 2025
Finding connection to culture, nature, people, and community when stepping off the beaten track in Japan leaves a lasting impression.
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Discovering the essence of Japanese Buddhist culture
There are many temples in Japan but one in Mount Minobu in the Yamanashi Prefecture is special. As one of the three most sacred mountains in Japanese Buddhism (the others are Mount Koya in the Wakayama Prefecture and Mount Hiei in the Shiga Prefecture) Mount Minobu’s Kuonji is the head temple of the Buddhist Nichiren sect. And it takes some effort to get to; 287 steps to be precise. I’m not going to lie and say it was easy! When you reach the five story pagoda you know you’ve made it to the top. And once you have caught your breath, you quickly realise it was worth the climb.
Minobusan
My eldest son James and I were leaving the Kuonji temple (built in 1274) near to closing time. A few hours earlier we’d climbed the 287 stone steps – known as the steps to enlightenment.
We wandered around the temple grounds, enjoying the serenity and the views. As sunset rays gently kissed the red pagoda (Gojunoto) casting an ethereal glow over its wooden exterior, we were consumed with taking pictures in that golden moment. Easily distracted. Forgetting the time.
Our hosts at our overnight accommodation, Kakurinbo, requested we be back for an early dinner. And if you don’t already know, the Japanese are renowned for their punctuality. I didn’t want to be running late. And I was keen to make our descent before the night sky threw our surrounds into darkness (it was January, and winter in Japan where the sun sets early.) Beyond being late for dinner, clambering down those oddly shaped stone steps in the dark was not something I fancied.
Half way down we took a detour to our accommodation. A short cut. Moving quickly on the path, the only sound was my uneven breath, puffing a little, trying to pick up the pace. Our peaceful reverie was suddenly broken by the sound of heavy footsteps. A group of around 12 monks, swathed in dark blue robes appeared, jogging towards us. They were on their way to the Kuonji Temple. They were chanting and calling out something indecipherable to my non-Japanese understanding ears. We were greeted with smiles and warm nods in acknowledgement as they jogged past. I wished I could bottle some of their energy.
Where to find Kakurinbo
Located in the foothills of Mt. Fuji, Gyogakuin Kakurinbo is in Minobusan, a mountain village in the Yamanashi prefecture, two and a half hours by train from Tokyo. Kakurinbo was built 550 years ago for travelling novice monks and priests to rest for the night. They would stay for days, sometimes weeks, spending time praying, copying religious scripture, hiking in nature and meditating. Kakurinbo is now an Inn for visitors to Japan like me, who want to swap the busy streets of Tokyo for the mountain air and serenity of Minobusan.
I chose to stay at Kakurinbo, a shukubo (pilgrim’s Inn), for one night with James, who was studying at a Tokyo university at the time, as an exchange student through QUT (Queensland University of Technology.)
I’m sharing this story five years after our stay at Kakurinbo. (That was January 2020, just before Covid started shutting the world down.) It was such a special experience, I wanted to write a story about how James and I escaped Tokyo for two nights, and on our way to the world’s oldest Inn we discovered Kakurinbo, completely by chance. (I had booked online a few months earlier.) Kakurinbo offers not only a spiritual connection to a Buddhist temple, but a connection to people passionate about their community .
The staircase to enlightenment
To reach the Kuonji temple, you must climb 287 stone steps through an ancient cedar forest. By climbing the stone steps – Bodaitei – the state of enlightenment in Buddhism is said to be achieved. The number of steps references the main mantra of this sect of Buddhism, which in Japanese is composed of seven characters, that should be sung 41 times = 287! Reciting the mantra as you climb assists with passing through life’s challenges.
The steps are over 800 years old. Each step was higher than an average step’s gradient. The weather-worn, rough and oddly-shaped stone blocks are placed to make this ascent to the top an arduous one. To the left and the right of the steps are towering one thousand year old cedar trees. (Everything here is old!)
I watched James jog up the steps to halfway. As a fit, energetic 21 year old that’s not insurmountable! I took my time clambering to the top. Let’s just say I wasn’t rushing my enlightenment.
The current Kakurinbo owners
Nissei Higuchi, is the third generation of his family to be head priest at Gyogakuin (the main sub-temple of Kuonji) and the 42nd lead priest. He and his wife, Junko Higuchi, own Kakurinbo. Born and raised in Tokyo, Junko married Nissei in Minobu at age 23.
In 2015 two Swiss cyclists riding through the region stopped at Kakurinbo. They were looking for a shower and somewhere to sleep for the night. Nissei was the only one who spoke English so he looked after arranging their stay. Slowly word spread about the Inn and the hospitality (omotenashi). Junko learnt a little English and 15 years ago, she marketed the Inn differently, opening it to foreigners seeking an authentic traditional Japanese experience they couldn’t find in the big cities. They hired a bilingual person to help with bookings and foreign guests.
Junko is the head chef and is an accomplished cook. She travels to Tokyo once a month attending cooking classes with a MasterChef. She is responsible for crafting the vegetarian meals at Kakurinbo.
Experience omotenashi at Kakurinbo
Endo, who greeted and booked us in, grew up in the seaside town of Yamada. He came to visit Kakurinbo for a weekend break after working as a Civil Engineer on the stadium for The Tokyo Olympics (2020 but delayed to 2021 because of Covid). He decided to give up his civil engineering career to stay on and work at Kakurinbo.
Endo showed us upstairs to our room. The corridor was lined with authentic wedding kimonos. Each room was off was separated by fusuma, a sliding door made from paper. We would later sleep on futons laid out on floor covered by tatami mats.
Guests can enjoy an onsen and bathe in Kakurinbo’s bath, filled with wine infused bath salts, produced locally in the Koshu Wine Valley. They turn the water a pretty pale pink. (Another ‘divine’ onsen experience in Japan.) There is a bath for men, a bath for women, and a small bath for families.
Dinner was prepared by Junko. The cuisine is traditional Japanese kaiseki vegetarian (shojin ryori.) The menu is mostly plant-based (following Buddhist philosophy), made from locally sourced ingredients that change with the seasons. The food leans toward minimalism. Natto (fermented beans) and miso are made in-house from akenobo daizu, a local variety of soybean, Tofu / bean curd (Yuba the the thin sheet of tofu that forms on top of soy milk when it is steamed) is served at each meal. Unfortunately I was recovering from a tummy bug I had picked up a few days earlier in Tokyo. I was tentative about what I could eat. Thankfully I was helped in translation by staff worker, Damien Bartlakowski, who was from France. (He was on a cycling holiday, visited the Inn and stayed on to work.) Damien spoke English, French and Japanese. And he helped with organizing plain food for me, that would not upset my ‘tender’ stomach.
When the meal arrives it is exquisite in its traditional presentation.
Kakurinbo offers various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including an extensive selection of Yamanashi wines and locally produced sake and fruit-based soft drinks. Beverages and desserts can also be ordered to the room.
After dinner, along with three other Japanese guests – (all from Kofu City) – we were treated to a traditional dance by Endo. Later on, with the help of one of the guests, Chiko Komiyama, who translated, Endo and Junko explained their future vision for their small community. They brought out building models. They spoke about their shared vision to revitalise Minobusan through tourism. Their dream to turn their region into a place which will attract foreigners as well as Japanese. To bring back businesses to the community and to small Inns like Kakurinbo which have been losing bookings to larger city hotels.
Apparently, in Japanese culture it is unusual for a temple wife to advocate commercial ventures. But we understood (through our translators) Junko’s priority was her local community.
With Chiko’s help we heard what Kakurinbo means to Endo. “This has become my life mission,” Endo explained in broken English. “Mt. Minobu is a place of prayer for the heart, regardless of denomination, and their gate is wide open. Reciting Nanmu Myoh Renkakyo while climbing the stone steps is close to meditation, and it makes your heart empty. Enlightenment is achieved by climbing and looking backwards on life.”
The significance of the Kuonji temple and how it’s different from other temples
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Japanese Buddhism founded by Nichiren Daishonin, a 13th Century Buddhist monk and philosopher who believed the quintessence of Buddha’s teachings is contained in the Lotus Sutra (Sanskrit: Saddharmapundarika-sutra; “The Scripture of the Lotus of the Good Law”). During Japan’s Kamakura Period (1185 – 1333), Nichiren was exiled three times for his belief in this sacred text because it went against the ruling Shogunate. He was exiled to the Izu Peninsula for a year and later to Sado Island for two years. After returning from the island exile, Nichiren was invited to be part of the Minobusan Kuonji Temple in 1274.
In November 1281 he settled at Kakurinbo one of around twenty shokubo (pilgrim inns) in Japan’s Southern Alps. He took refuge in the deep forests and steep mountainsides of Mt Minobu. Nichiren died in 1282 at the age of 61. His sacred tomb is inside a building at the temple, only accessible by the monks. For over 700 years devotees of Nichiren’s teachings have made their way to Minobu. Before trains and cars, the journey would have taken 10 – 20 days.
Attending morning prayer at Kuoni Temple
Today, Kuonji Temple is the headquarters of the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism. Two prayer ceremonies are held, 365 days a year. Guests are invited to observe morning prayer held at the temple. James woke at 5.30 am to attend the morning prayer. With the excuse that I was still getting over my tummy upset, I farewelled him from beneath the covers of my warm futon. Visitors are invited to sit and join in the sutra chanting, as the first light spreads across the mountains.
“I was standing at the back of the group of monks at the dawn service at the temple. A monk came up to me and gently took my hand, leading me towards the front of the temple, pointing to where I should sit,” James explained. “It was such a welcoming gesture. Afterwards I watched the sunrise over Mt Minobu from the temple steps in complete serenity. I’ve never felt so at peace.”
From Kuonji you can hike to Mt Minobu’s summit (1,153 meters). Depending on your pace you can do it in two and half to three hours, following trails through an ancient cedar forest, passing ancient graves and smaller temples
On a clear day there are spectacular views of Mt Fuji. On overcast days the cloud cover below the peak can be stunning. For those preferring not to hike, there is a ropeway (cable car) to the summit.
James took a few photos on his morning hike. The views of Mt Fuji left me with FOMO. What a morning he had. (Sadly James’ photos were wiped from my SD card and the backed up hard drive has been corrupted, so these are now memories only.)
Experience outstanding omotenashi
After James returned from his mountain hike the Kakurinbo staff provided him with a late breakfast which he devoured. The dining area overlooks an elegant garden and koi pond designed by Muso Kokushi (1275 to 1351), a famed Zen master, calligraphist, poet and landscape gardener. The garden is recognized as a local cultural asset.
While waiting for a taxi to take us to the train station James and I sat on the outdoor Sakura Terrace with a cup of tea. Choosing to stay at Kakurinbo was random. Searching for a place near to where we were staying the following night at the world’s oldest inn, Nishiyama Keiunkan. But the night at Kakurinbo turned into one of the most memorable and transformative experiences in Japan.
The serenity of this place wraps itself around you in a way that makes it hard to leave. I will never forget the omotenashi (the Japanese mindset of hospitality) we experienced at Kakurinbo. The friendly staff could not do enough for us. If you’re looking for a traditional Japanese experience not too far from Tokyo I highly recommend Kakurinbo for an off-the-beaten-path travel experience in one of Japan’s less frequented places. (This was not sponsored, I paid for my stay at Kakurinbo.)
I will never forget the omotenashi (the Japanese mindset of hospitality) we experienced at Kakurinbo.
2025 Update
Damien and I have stayed in touch via email. Mostly because I was hoping to write a story about Kakurinbo for a magazine after I returned home. Covid canned that idea.
Damien is now back living in France. When we stayed at Kakurinbo, he never said anything at the time, but last year he emailed to say that he thought it “strange” that a mother and son travelled together.
However, after his mother had heart surgery and fought cancer Damien sent me an email in October 2024, saying: “We celebrate her 60th birthday tomorrow, and I decided to gift her as a surprise a trip together with me to Japan. It is kind of thanks to you in some way, so I thought I’ll send you a little message!”
I’m glad I inspired a mother and son to travel together!
Damien is a talented artist and graphic designer. He creates beautiful Ukioye illustrations he says are inspired by modern life in Japan. Please take a look at his work on Instagram
Damien Ganbaruto dami_no_ukiyoe
Damien wrote a story for Tokyo Weekender about his time at Kakurinbo during the Pandemic, Kakurinbo Temple stay.
Endo returned to his hometown in Iwate prefecture, north of Japan. I am not sure who is currently working at Kakurinbo. If you end up staying there, please let me know!
How to book Kakurinbo
Kakurinbo have crafted their marketing creating an English-language website and placing their accommodation on Booking.com which is how I found and booked Kakurinbo.
How to get there
Located in Minobusan, a mountain village in Yamanashi prefecture. If you’re coming from Tokyo, there’s a bus that takes you right up to the village. From the last Minobusan bus stop, it’s a 10-minute walk to this shukubo. We took the train from Tokyo to Minobu Station, and found a taxicab to drive us into the mountains and drop us directly to Kakurinbo. It was a three-hour journey from Tokyo.
From Shinjuku Station take an express train to Kofu Station then change to the Monobu Line for JR Monobu Station. You can take a taxi from the train station (there is a bus that goes to Kuonji Temple.)
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