Rainy Day at Chozen-ji

Beautiful temple in Kofu with two pagodas

Cathy Cawood Sep 14, 2014 - 1 min read

<p>Two pagodas so close to each other!</p>

<p>The gate and bell tower were being renewed</p>

<p>A statue of Kannon peeps between overgrown cypress trees</p>

<p>The colored maple leaves are a delicate contrast to the dark, rough surface of the rock</p>

<p>A covered walk-way between temple buildings</p>

<p>Wooden buckets for cleaning graves in the cemetery</p>

<p>A closer view of the three tier pagoda</p>

On a rainy August afternoon I set out on foot from Kofu JR Station to explore. After about ten minutes walk, I saw a temple pagoda rising above the trees and houses, and so I found Chozen-ji. This temple has not one, but two pagodas. The gate and bell tower were under reconstruction, and the five tier pagoda looked as if it had recently been reconstructed, but even with the mess of timber and machines and blue sheets Chozen-ji was a beautiful temple! It is also the top ranked of the five Kofu Gozan temples. Visit it on your way to Kai-Zenkoji!

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...