A Private Temple Stay Amid the Peach Orchards of Minami-Alps

Four Centuries of Prayer, Rooted in the Local Community

In Minami-Alps City, Yamanashi Prefecture, where peach blossoms cover the landscape in spring, stands Hogenji Temple, a place with more than 400 years of history.

Hogenji is not simply a historic or sacred site. It has always been a place that lives and grows alongside the local community.

“I hope this temple lodging will become a new point of connection between Hogenji and the surrounding community, helping to create a place where people can continue to live rich and fulfilling lives 100 or even 200 years from now.”

With this vision in mind, Hogenji’s head priest, Zuiho Yokoyama, renovated a traditional Japanese house surrounded by peach orchards, located just a three-minute walk from the temple, and opened it as a private temple lodging limited to one group per day.

Exterior of the Accommodation

Access

By Car

Approximately three minutes from Minami-Alps Interchange on the Chubu-Odan Expressway, accessible via the Chuo Expressway.

By Train and Bus

From JR Shinjuku Station, take the JR Chuo Line Limited Express Azusa to JR Kofu Station. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes.

From Bus Stop No. 1 at the south exit of JR Kofu Station, take a Yamanashi Kotsu bus bound for Kajikazawa Depot via Jugo-sho. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes.

Get off at the Jugo-sho bus stop. The accommodation is a two-minute walk from the bus stop.

Experience Temple Life in the Stillness of the Morning

One of the greatest pleasures of staying at a temple lodging is the opportunity to step into the extraordinary atmosphere of a Buddhist temple and spend quiet time reflecting on yourself.

A variety of temple activities are available, including optional experiences. We warmly invite you to take part.

Morning Service

Join the head priest in chanting sutras in the temple’s main hall, surrounded by the fresh and peaceful atmosphere of the morning.

Clear guidance is provided so that first-time participants can feel comfortable and at ease.

The morning service begins at 7:00 a.m. in the main hall of Hogenji Temple.

Free of charge. Participation is optional.

The sutras are chanted at a gentle pace. You are also welcome simply to sit and listen without chanting.

Samu: Mindful Temple Work

After the morning service, guests may take part in samu, the traditional Buddhist practice of cleaning the temple grounds.

As you watch the grounds become cleaner with every sweep, you may find that your own mind also begins to feel clearer and more settled.

Free of charge. Participation is optional.

Families and children are very welcome to take part.

Sutra Copying

Spend a peaceful and contemplative time carefully copying the sutra, one character and one brushstroke at a time.

This is a paid activity and must be booked as an optional experience.

The proper methods and etiquette of sutra copying will be explained with care.

Please note that temple activities may occasionally be unavailable due to the temple’s schedule or other circumstances.

All temple activities are optional. Guests are welcome to stay at the accommodation without participating in any of the experiences.

A Private Garden Where You Can Enjoy the Changing Seasons

The garden adjoining the Japanese-style rooms offers a private and flexible outdoor space that is yours to enjoy during your stay.

Surrounded by peach orchards, the property has a peaceful and secluded atmosphere.

In the evening, you can enjoy a barbecue as the sun sets, gather around a fire and talk beneath the night sky, or sit on the veranda and enjoy the cool evening air while watching handheld fireworks.

Barbecue equipment and other necessary items, excluding food, can be provided as an optional service.

Guests are also welcome to enjoy fireworks in the garden.

A Message from the Head Priest

Hogenji Temple has a history spanning more than 400 years.

However, it is not a famous sacred site or a place of pilgrimage.

A temple can exist only through its relationship with the local community and the people who live there.

Temple Stay Minami-Alps Hogenji is not located within the temple grounds.

Instead, I hope that this accommodation will become a new point of connection between Hogenji Temple and the surrounding community.

I hope it will help create a future in which the people living around the temple can continue to enjoy rich and fulfilling lives 100 or even 200 years from now.

During your stay, I hope you will enjoy not only the experiences offered at the temple, but also the many attractions, people, food, and culture of the local area.

Zuiho Yokoyama
Head Priest, Hogenji Temple