If you're in the Fujieda area of Shizuoka and visiting Shirafuji Falls, then it's also worth dropping in at nearby Bankyaku-in temple. Just a few minutes' walk up the road from the Mitsuishi bus stop, it's home to an imposing hillside cemetery, with a tall statue of the Kannon (Buddhist goddess of mercy) at the summit.
Before you get to the cemetery, the temple buildings are pleasantly peaceful, in a wooded setting with some interesting Buddhist statues around the grounds. Set back from the main road, there are few visitors and no noise, just birdsong and the wind in the trees.
Behind the temple halls, the cemetery is a striking sight, stretching up and around the hillsides. There's a long, straight flight of steps leading directly up to the hall with the Kannon; I didn't count them as I climbed, but there are certainly over a hundred steps, and I needed to stop for a rest once or twice.
Once you get to the top, you can rest again, and take in the fine view over the cemetery and the countryside. In the hall under the Kannon, there are scores of tiny golden Buddhist figurines, and another statue carved out of a log.
Peter Sidell @peter.sidell
I came to Japan from Manchester, England in 2003, and have travelled a lot since then, around Japan and in Asia. When I'm not working, I write satire and perform stand-up comedy in and around Tokyo. Check YouTube for a taste.
