Visiting Erin-ji Temple in Yamanashi Prefecture

The Erin-ji temple has a garden that is often overseen by foreign tourists. Even those who have a deep interest in Japanese gardens.

Erin-ji lies far from the typical garden agglomerations in Tokyo, Kyoto or Kamakura. It takes two and a half hours to reach from Tokyo Station.

I was lucky enough that my host family took me to this temple. Twice. And we went by car. However, if a trip to Mount Fuji is planned, spending one night in the area of Erin-ji is not a bad idea, since there are still a few other temple gardens to be seen, too.

But back to my visits. The first one was in 2012 and the next in 2013. Good that most Japanese gardens do not change much over 10 years. But still, a new visit might be necessary one day.

I think I visited in September, both times, when it was still quite hot, and remember that there was a nice, shady approach towards the first temple gate.

During my second visit, people in Samurai armour waited for tourists. The temple is closely connected to Takeda Shingen, a Daimyo who opposed Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa, who would eventually unite Japan and lead it into the more or less peaceful 260-year-long Edo period.

Find out more about the temple in our guide book:

Erin-ji Garden Guide

This eBook offers insights into the design, symbolism, and history of Erin-ji Temple in Yamanashi.
Perfect for garden lovers, history enthusiasts, and cultural travelers.
Learn more before you visit—or revisit from home.

Read more… Buy

Before entering the temple, there was a gravel area with old roof ornaments, but it couldn‘t really be called a garden in the traditional sense. However, when entering the temple building, we soon find ourselves in an area that can be called a deeply natural garden. Tall conifers stand across a wide area, providing shade and a sense of being in a deep forest. The ground is covered with moss and small rivulets running through it.

This wasn‘t even the main garden, but I was already deeply impressed. Even though this space was not meant to be one, it gave me the impression of a perfect Zen garden. The space, or ma, between the trees, the simplicity, yet quiet beauty. If I had the choice, I would have stayed exactly there to soak in the calming atmosphere of the huge trees and moss.

However, we were there to see the main garden, a prototype of later Zen gardens. It is connected to Muso Soseki, who also designed the garden of Zuisen-ji in Kamakura and the Saiho-ji Moss garden. These gardens laid the foundation for what we now know as dry landscape gardens.

The main garden of Erin-ji is of a pond-hill style. In the back is a small hill with two waterfalls flowing into a small pond. This pond has one island with an amazingly shaped tree planted on it.

The waterfalls are called the male waterfall and the female waterfall. Female and male elements often symbolise a desire for a strong family lineage. In the background is a symbolic Mount Sumeru, the centre of the world in Buddhism.

The tree on the island is a Pinus parviflora, trained so that two of its branches are long and low to the ground, opposite each other.

Between the pond and the roofed veranda, which has two seats to sit down and enjoy the garden, is a sazen seki, a meditation stone. Erin-ji is, after all, a temple belonging to the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism.

If I recall correctly, there is also a small courtyard water garden.

Due to the temple’s location, the visit is always calm and soothing. You won’t find many people around unless it is holiday season or a festival is happening.

Read more about Erin-ji, including opening hours, access information, and seasonal highlights on our Erin-ji Profile Page.

Anika

With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.

Support our Work on Patreon

Our Patrons are making our work possible and are the first to read!

Anika

With twelve years of professional landscaping experience under her belt, Anika Ogusu is your perfect guide to the world of Japanese gardens. Her love of nature began early, in the woods near her childhood home and the garden of her grandmother’s house. During her teenage years she developed a strong interest in Japanese culture, and after university she decided to combine her love of Japan and gardens into a profession. Anika started her career as chief gardener in charge of the perennial valley at the Botanical Garden in Hamburg, Germany, then moved to Tokyo in pursuit of her dream. For two years she apprenticed under local landscape designers and learned the art of Japanese garden design, construction and maintenance. Now, in partnership with Real Japanese Gardens (www.japanesegardens.jp), her wish is to spread the magic of Japanese gardens to the rest of the world. Her in-depth guide books on gardens throughout Japan are available in eBook format or paperback. In her free time, Anika enjoys exploring her adopted country (especially green moss gardens), and soaking up nature and any details that interest her.