Nojoji Temple

Nojoji Temple is one of the Kofu Gozan or Five Great Zen Temples of Kofu, chosen by the warlord Takeda Shingen, who ruled Kai Province (present-day Yamanashi) from 1540 to 1573. The temples were protected by Shingen and in turn tasked with praying for the protection and safety of the province. Nojoji was originally built in what is now the city of Fuefuki, but was later moved to Kofu and ended up at its current location in the 1590s. Takeda Nobumori, the 15th lord of the Takeda clan, was the temple’s founding patron (kaiki).

Perched on the side of a hill, Nojoji’s grounds are not as extensive as some of the other Kofu Gozan temples, but the temple’s elevation gives it a clear view over the city and the mountains behind it, while its calm stillness makes it an ideal space for quiet contemplation. Beside the main path near the entrance is a stone monument featuring a poem by famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694).

The path leading up the hill into the central grounds is flanked by a rough stone wall with vines growing along it. The brilliant white of the plaster on the temple's main hall (hondo), built in 1986, and lecture hall (shoin), built in 1991, stands out against the surrounding green trees. Behind the temple buildings is a bamboo grove, along with the temple cemetery.