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Daishoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Fudo Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
山梨県南巨摩郡身延町八日市場539
Visiting Status Unveiled annually on April 29 (Fudo Festival)
PowerDignityDepth
This wooden seated Fudo Myoo is the principal image of Daishoji Temple. The 84.4 cm statue is made using single-block construction. Its wide-open eyes and upper teeth biting the lower lip create a fierce expression, while the rounded face and full body retain the elegant character of the late Heian (Fujiwara) period. Traces of color remain on the sash, and arabesque patterns survive over lacquer and gold leaf. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, the image is linked by temple tradition to Kagami Tomitsu, who is said to have received it for service guarding the imperial court, and it was also venerated by Takeda Shingen. Normally not on public view, it is unveiled each year on April 29 during the Fudo Festival.
Kai Zenkoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Minamoto no Sanetomo Category Other
山梨県甲府市善光寺3-36-1
Visiting Status Regularly on display (Treasure Museum / 9:00–16:30)
NobilityRefinementDepth
Displayed in the Treasure Museum of Kai Zenkoji Temple, this wooden seated portrait represents Minamoto no Sanetomo, the third shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. The figure measures 76.0 cm high. Dendrochronological analysis during conservation work identified the newest tree ring as dating to 1222, indicating that the statue was made not long after Sanetomo's death in 1219 and making it the oldest known sculptural portrait of him in Japan. Its vivid, realistic facial features make it an important example of early Kamakura portrait sculpture. In March 2026, the Council for Cultural Affairs recommended that it and the temple's portrait of Minamoto no Yoritomo be designated together as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Shinzo-in Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Figures of the Seven Gongen Category Other
山梨県大月市賑岡町岩殿160
Visiting Status Advance contact required (9:00–16:00 / contact the priest in advance)
MysteryDignityDepth
Shinzo-in preserves seven wooden standing figures known collectively as the Shichisha Gongen. They are said to represent the seven gongen of Izu, Nikko, Hakone, Hakusan, Zao, Kumano, and Sanno, although the individual identities of the figures are not clearly established. Dating to around the 16th century, the statues range from about 137 to 196 cm high and are made using single-block construction. They were moved here in the early Meiji period from a former shrine hall on Mt. Iwadono, once an important Kanto center of Shugendo. Designated a Yamanashi Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property, the figures can be viewed by contacting the resident priest in advance.
Kai Zenkoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Minamoto no Yoritomo Category Other
山梨県甲府市善光寺3-36-1
Visiting Status Regularly on display (Treasure Museum / 9:00–16:30)
DignityNobilityDepth
Displayed in the Treasure Museum of Kai Zenkoji Temple, this wooden seated portrait represents Minamoto no Yoritomo, founder and first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate. The figure measures 96.1 cm high. An ink inscription inside records Yoritomo's death date and the year 1319. Recent conservation and research indicate that the highly realistic head dates to the first half of the 13th century, while the body was reworked during the 1319 restoration. Its lowered brows, prominent nose, and firmly set mouth create a powerful presence. It is regarded as the oldest surviving sculptural portrait of Yoritomo. In March 2026, the Council for Cultural Affairs recommended that it and the temple's portrait of Minamoto no Sanetomo be designated together as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
Tenmokusan Seiunji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Shaka Nyorai (Crowned Shaka) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
山梨県甲州市大和町木賊122
Visiting Status Advance reservation required (Treasure Museum 9:00–15:00)
NobilityRefinementSolemnity
This wooden seated Shaka Nyorai is the principal image of Seiunji Temple. The 62.0 cm figure is made from hinoki cypress using joined-block construction with crystal eyes, forms the meditation mudra, and wears an ornate crown in the distinctive form known as a Crowned Shaka. An inscription behind the knees identifies Injun and Inko, Buddhist sculptors of the In school, and the image is thought to have been made around 1353, the same period as the temple’s portrait of Fuo Kokushi. A characteristic principal image of a Zen temple from the Nanbokucho period, it is designated a Yamanashi Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property. The Treasure Museum can be visited by advance reservation.
Minobusan Kuonji Temple – Jorokudo Hall
Buddhist Image Gilded Standing Joroku Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
山梨県南巨摩郡身延町身延4239
Visiting Status Regularly open (9:00–16:00 / free)
SolemnityDignityPower
The Joroku Shaka Nyorai is a monumental gilded Buddha enshrined in Jorokudo Hall at Nishikigamori on Mount Minobu. Tradition holds that it was created following a donation in 1643 by Yoju-in (O-Man-no-Kata), a consort of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and that it is the work of Nichigo Shonin of Sanboji Temple in Kyoto. Measuring 5.58 m overall, the early Edo-period statue is made in joined-block construction and finished with lacquer and gold leaf. Numerous smaller Shaka Nyorai figures line the altar behind it. Designated a Minobu Town cultural property, the hall is open from 9:00 to 16:00, free of charge, with parking available.
Toenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Sho Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
山梨県南都留郡忍野村忍草38
Visiting Status Regularly open for worship (9:00–17:00)
RefinementNobilityStillness
A wooden seated Sho Kannon Bosatsu enshrined in the octagonal hall of Toenji Temple beside Oshino Hakkai. The temple’s official information dates the image to 1317, making it a notable surviving Kannon image from the late Kamakura period, and it is designated a cultural property of Oshino Village. Toenji has deep roots as a center of Fuji mountain ascetic practice and today welcomes visitors from Japan and abroad through its connection with Oshino Hakkai. The statue is enshrined in a recently built octagonal hall, and the temple is open for worship from 9:00 to 17:00, making it easy to include in a visit to the Oshino area.
Minobusan Kuonji Temple
Buddhist Image One Stupa, Two Buddhas and Four Bodhisattvas Category Other
山梨県南巨摩郡身延町身延3567
Visiting Status Regularly open for worship (Main Hall / daytime)
SolemnityDignityDepth
The principal image of the Main Hall at Minobusan Kuonji, the head temple of Nichiren Shu, presents the world of the Lotus Sutra as a monumental sculptural ensemble. A central jeweled stupa is accompanied by Shaka Nyorai and Taho Nyorai, together with the four Bodhisattvas of the Earth: Superior Practices (Jogyo), Boundless Practices (Muhengyo), Pure Practices (Jogyo), and Firmly Established Practices (Anryugyo). Including the shumidan altar, the ensemble rises to about 9 meters and was created by Buddhist sculptor Sohei Eri. It is enshrined in the Main Hall rebuilt in 1985, where visitors may also attend the daily morning service. Kuonji is one of Yamanashi’s major pilgrimage and sightseeing temples, making this an especially accessible and substantial Buddhist-image destination.
Ganjoujuin Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
静岡県伊豆の国市寺家83-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:00 / last admission 15:30; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and on specified dates)
PowerDignitySolemnity
The wooden seated Amida Nyorai enshrined in the Daigodo Hall at Ganjoujuin Temple is one of five National Treasure images made by Unkei in 1186 (Bunji 2) under the patronage of Hojo Tokimasa. Measuring 142.0 cm high, it has a powerful, weighty physique, deeply carved flowing drapery, and hands forming the preaching mudra. The group is central to the emergence of the new Kamakura sculptural style associated with Unkei. The five images were designated National Treasures in 2013 and can now be viewed during regular opening hours in the Daigodo Hall.
Ganjoujuin Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Fudo Myo-o with Two Attendants Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
静岡県伊豆の国市寺家83-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:00 / last admission 15:30; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and on specified dates)
PowerTense PresenceDignity
The wooden standing Fudo Myoo with two attendants in the Daigodo Hall at Ganjoujuin Temple was made by Unkei in 1186 (Bunji 2) under the patronage of Hojo Tokimasa and is designated a National Treasure. Fudo Myoo is 137.2 cm high, Kongara 74.4 cm, and Seitaka 83.5 cm. The youthful, powerful Fudo with wide-open crystal eyes is paired with the pure, gentle Kongara and the more animated Seitaka, forming a group that clearly shows Unkei's realism and strength. Designated a National Treasure in 2013, the group can be viewed during regular opening hours, and a goma fire ritual is held for Fudo Myoo on the 28th of each month.
Ganjoujuin Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Bishamonten Category Tenbu (Deva)
静岡県伊豆の国市寺家83-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:00 / last admission 15:30; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and on specified dates)
PowerDignityTense Presence
The wooden standing Bishamonten enshrined in the Daigodo Hall at Ganjoujuin Temple was made by Unkei in 1186 (Bunji 2) under the patronage of Hojo Tokimasa and is designated a National Treasure. Measuring 148.2 cm high, the figure stands forcefully on two demons with crystal eyes fixed sharply ahead, creating a vivid sense of movement and tension. It clearly conveys the realism and strength of the Kamakura sculptural style that Unkei established in eastern Japan and has long been revered as a guardian deity associated with martial protection and good fortune. Designated a National Treasure in 2013, it can now be viewed during regular opening hours in the Daigodo Hall.
Shuzenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Dainichi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
静岡県伊豆市修善寺964
Visiting Status Normally closed to the public (unveiled annually November 1–30, 9:00–16:00)
DignityRefinementSolemnity
The wooden seated Dainichi Nyorai is the principal image of Shuzenji Temple. Made from joined cypress wood with crystal eyes, it represents the Diamond Realm Dainichi Nyorai forming the Wisdom Fist mudra. An ink inscription inside the image records that the Buddhist sculptor Jikkei completed it on August 28, 1210. Its taut facial features, substantial body, and powerful arms express the realism of the early Kamakura-period Kei school. With both date and maker securely known, it is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan and serves as a key benchmark for Kei-school sculpture in eastern Japan. Normally kept from public view, it is unveiled in the Treasure Hall each year from November 1 to 30.
Shosan Horinji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Shaka Nyorai with Two Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
静岡県浜松市浜名区細江町中川65-2
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:00 / admission fee required)
DignityRefinementSolemnity
The wooden seated Shaka Nyorai with two attendants is enshrined in the Butsuden Hall of Shosan Horinji Temple. The temple was founded in 1664, and an inscription on the back of the principal Shaka image records that it was made in 1667, the year the Butsuden was built, by the Kyoto Buddhist sculptor Hokkyo Koyu. Made with joined-wood construction and finished with gold leaf, gold pigment, and coloring, the group combines orderly forms influenced by Ming-dynasty China with solid Japanese sculptural technique. It is the central group among an outstanding ensemble of early Edo-period Buddhist images, designated a Shizuoka Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property and open to the public for a fee from 10:00 to 16:00.
Kannami Buddha no Sato Museum
Buddhist Image Wooden Amida Nyorai with Two Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
静岡県田方郡函南町桑原89-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:30 / last admission 16:00; closed Tuesdays and specified dates)
RefinementDignityDepth
The wooden Amida Nyorai with two attendants is on permanent display at the Kannami Buddha no Sato Museum. Dating from the early Kamakura period, the three figures are by the Kei-school sculptor Jikkei and account for three of the four surviving works securely attributed to him. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, they are carved from cypress using the split-and-hollowed single-block technique and fitted with crystal eyes. The central Amida is 89.1 cm high and the attendants are each just over 106 cm. Their youthful, full-cheeked faces, taut physiques, and strong gazes vividly express early Kei-school realism and make the group a key reference for Jikkei's style. Preserved for generations by the local community, the images can be viewed at close range during regular museum hours.
Kannami Buddha no Sato Museum
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Yakushi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
静岡県田方郡函南町桑原89-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:30 / last admission 16:00; closed Tuesdays and specified dates)
DignityPeacefulnessDepth
The wooden seated Yakushi Nyorai is displayed at the Kannami Buddha no Sato Museum. Carved from kaya wood using the split-and-hollowed single-block technique, it measures 110.0 cm high. Its dignified yet rounded body and serene, full face indicate a date around the mid-11th century, in the middle Heian period. Sharply carved facial features, simplified but well-organized drapery, and a substantial chest and abdomen give the image a powerful presence. Designated a Shizuoka Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property, it is one of the Buddhist images long preserved by the Kuwahara community and can now be viewed during regular museum hours.
Kannami Buddha no Sato Museum
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Twelve Divine Generals Category Tenbu (Deva)
静岡県田方郡函南町桑原89-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (10:00–16:30 / last admission 16:00; closed Tuesdays and specified dates)
PowerTense PresenceSolemnity
The wooden standing Twelve Divine Generals are displayed at the Kannami Buddha no Sato Museum. The twelve figures, each about one meter high, range from 91.5 to 105.4 cm. Most surviving Twelve Generals in eastern Japan are smaller works from the Muromachi period or later, but this group includes three rare surviving Heian-period figures, as well as images from the Kamakura period, the late Nanbokucho to early Muromachi period, and one from the Edo period. The preservation of a complete group of twelve figures of this scale is itself highly valuable. Designated a Shizuoka Prefectural Tangible Cultural Property, the entire ensemble can now be viewed during regular museum hours.
Makayaji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Thousand-Armed Kannon Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
静岡県浜松市浜名区三ヶ日町摩訶耶421
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (admission 9:00–16:00 / closes 16:30; closed August 10 and on occasional dates)
DignityMysteryTense Presence
The wooden standing Thousand-Armed Kannon Bosatsu enshrined in the Treasure Hall at Makayaji Temple is an Important Cultural Property of Japan dating to the middle Heian period. Measuring 151.5 cm high, it was carved in the round from a single piece of cypress and finished with coloring. Its substantial body is not hollowed, and a large boat-shaped halo rises behind it. Hard, clearly cut lines define the hands and drapery, while the stern, sharply modeled face and faint traces of red on the lips create a powerful sense of tension. The image conveys the force of an ancient Heian-period Buddhist sculpture and can now be viewed by the public in the Treasure Hall.
Makayaji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Fudo Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
静岡県浜松市浜名区三ヶ日町摩訶耶421
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (admission 9:00–16:00 / closes 16:30; closed August 10 and on occasional dates)
PowerTense PresenceDignity
The wooden standing Fudo Myoo enshrined in the Treasure Hall at Makayaji Temple is an Important Cultural Property of Japan from the Kamakura period. Measuring 96.3 cm high, it is made from cypress using the split-and-hollowed single-block technique. Although relatively small, the figure is filled with tension: its weight presses firmly onto the right leg while the right hand grips a sword, conveying a powerful determination to save sentient beings. The realistic construction, hollowed after the block was divided into front and back sections, and the concentrated strength of the taut body express the force characteristic of Kamakura sculpture. It can now be viewed by the public in the Treasure Hall.
Daihonzan Hokoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Shaka Nyorai with Two Attendants Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
静岡県浜松市浜名区引佐町奥山1577-1
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (9:00–16:30 / last admission 16:00; admission fee required)
NobilityRefinementSolemnity
The Shaka Triad enshrined in the Main Hall of Daihonzan Hokoji Temple consists of a 104.2 cm central Shaka Nyorai, a 56.8 cm Monju Bosatsu, and a 55.6 cm Fugen Bosatsu. Inscriptions inside and beneath the images establish that the triad was made in 1352 by the In-school Buddhist sculptors Inkichi, Inko, and Injun. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, the group is distinguished by strongly Chinese-influenced facial features, sharply bending drapery lines, brilliant gold-pigment coloring, and the unusual crown worn by Shaka. It is a major surviving work by sculptors associated with the Ashikaga shogunate and has remained on public view in the Main Hall since its 2014 designation.
Zuirinji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Jizo Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
静岡県富士市松岡489
Visiting Status Normally closed to the public (open only on the morning of August 15 each year)
PowerDignityDepth
The wooden seated Jizo Bosatsu is the principal image of Zuirinji Temple. An inscription inside the statue dates its creation to August 1177, and the chief sculptor recorded as Hokkyo □kei is identified with Kokei, father of Unkei. Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, the figure is about 85 cm high, made from joined cypress wood, and fitted with crystal eyes. It holds a jewel in the left hand and a staff in the right, sitting with the right leg slightly extended. Its tall upper body, deep knees, restrained but realistic modeling, and tactile drapery already show the strength that would develop in later Kei-school sculpture. Normally kept from public view, it is opened only on the morning of August 15 each year.