Shuzenji Onsen: A Quiet Day in the Katsura River Valley

Shuzenji Onsen is a hot spring town whose water wells up from the bedrock of the river running through its centre. The spring where it began, Tokko-no-Yu, is said to have gushed when Kobo Daishi struck a river rock with a tokko-sho, a Buddhist ritual implement. A bamboo promenade follows the Katsura River through the middle of town, and the seasons change the valley's face, from red and white blossom in the plum grove of Shuzenji Bairin to autumn leaves and a large ginkgo colouring the temple grounds.

Tokko-no-Yu and the Katsura River

Tokko-no-Yu lies in the Katsura River in front of Shuzen-ji, and this is where hot water is said to have gushed out when Kobo Daishi struck a river rock with his tokko-sho. It is the spring where the story of the whole onsen began, and hot water still rises from the riverbed.

Hot spring water wells up from the bedrock beneath the Katsura as it flows through the centre of town, and in early spring you can see steam rising at Tokko-no-Yu. Tokko-no-Yu cannot be used as a foot bath, so it is something to view rather than step into. The foot bath to the north of Tokko-no-Yu is the place for that, used while you listen to the murmuring sound of the Katsura.

Five bridges cross the Katsura, and each is said to bring benefits related to love.

Shuzen-ji Temple and Yoriie's Hill

At Shuzen-ji, the hot spring greets you at the hand-washing place, where you see the water flow from a dragon's mouth. Inside the seated principal image of Dainichi Nyorai is enshrined the black hair of a woman of the Kamakura period, found in three bundles when the badly damaged statue was taken apart for repair. A sutra volume kept at the temple carries a margin inscription regarded as Hojo Masako's own handwriting.

Masako's story also leads to the hill on the south side of the hot spring town, where the grave of Minamoto no Yoriie lies. Right next to it stands Shigetsu-den, a sutra hall that Masako, Yoriie's mother, built to pray for his repose, with the graves of Yoriie and his thirteen retainers beside it. At Shigetsu-den, visitors are invited to lift the Hoju stone with a wish in mind.

Tsukimigaoka is said to be where Yoriie, confined at Shuzenji, came to look at the moon. The hill is private land and entry is prohibited, but anyone can stop to see the jizo statue at the Yokose intersection. A jizo once on Tsukimigaoka, now at the foot of a bridge, has a stone lid on its head and carries an inscription telling the story that Yoriie played with the local children.

Sutra Copying and the Okunoin

The Okunoin of Shuzen-ji is said to be where Kobo Daishi Kukai trained at the age of eighteen. A waterfall flows there, and beside it is a spot where he is said to have sat in training. A legend remains that he sealed the demons that hindered his practice into the Karikome cave.

At the Okunoin goma hall, goma prayer rites are held several times a year. Goma wood sticks are sold at member lodgings and the ryokan association, so visitors who cannot attend can write on them beforehand, and the written sticks are kept carefully and burned at the goma prayer.

At Shuzen-ji itself, the shakyo session uses brush pens so that beginners can take part easily, and copying the sutra one character at a time is a way to look at yourself and let the mind settle into calm. Taking part includes the sutra offering, a goshuin stamp and entry to the treasure hall, plus a view of the main hall, the zazen hall and the Japanese garden. Booking is needed (see the table below).

The Bamboo Path, Writers and Evening Light

Okamoto Kido's play Shuzenji Monogatari is set here, and its scenes include a view of the main gate of Shuzen-ji from the foot of Kokei Bridge by the Katsura. Seen from Kokei Bridge, the riverside guest-room wing of one of the inns forms part of the symbolic scenery of Shuzenji Onsen, and a soba restaurant inside that inn looks out over Shuzen-ji and Tokko-no-Yu.

The bamboo path is a promenade for a stroll along the Katsura through the centre of the hot spring town. At the centre of the grove a large round bamboo bench lets you feel the wind, and partway along, a Japanese-style gallery holds exhibitions, including photographs of Shuzenji's scenery through the seasons.

At Niji-no-Sato, the room where Soseki stayed, part of the annex of a former inn, has been relocated and restored, and Akutagawa Ryunosuke, who stayed about a month at an inn here, often added pictures to his letters from Shuzenji. Akagaeru Park, at the foot of a bridge, takes its name from a story. In the evening, the bamboo path and Tokko-no-Yu are among the places in the town's light-up.

Plum, Fireflies and Autumn Light

Plum season fills Shuzenji Bairin with a thousand red and white plum trees of twenty varieties, and Mt Fuji can be seen from the high ground of the grove. In the grove stand a monument to Shuzenji Monogatari and literary monuments to several writers. In spring the cherry blossoms are lit up at night at Akagaeru Park.

In early summer, fireflies begin to fly at Akagaeru Park in late May to early June, and they are best seen around eight in the evening. Flashlights, phone lights and car headlights weaken the fireflies, so switch them off on arrival and watch. The Obon dance is held in the temple grounds every year on August first, with a yagura and many chochin lanterns casting their light; Obon here runs from the first to the third of August because the area was once in its busy silkworm season then.

In the autumn-leaf season the temple grounds are coloured by the leaves and a large ginkgo, and walking among the maples in the onsen town you hear the stream of the Katsura. From late November an evening light-up is held at Niji-no-Sato to match the leaves. Shuzenji also has rice of its own: Katsuragi Koshihikari can be eaten only in Shuzenji, and scarecrows made by children watch over the growing Keiryu Koshihikari.

Getting to Shuzenji

From	To	Time
Mishima Station	Shuzenji Station (terminus of the Izuhakone Railway Sunzu Line)	About 32 minutes

Shuzenji Station is the terminus of the Sunzu Line from Mishima, so you can stay seated to the end.

New to rural buses and one-man trains? See how to ride them, step by step.

Hours and Fees

What	Fare or time	Note
Hako-yu public bathhouse, adult (junior high school and older)	700 yen	Admission
Hako-yu public bathhouse, child (elementary school)	400 yen	Admission
Hako-yu public bathhouse, guests of member inns	350 yen	Guests staying at inns of the Shuzenji Onsen ryokan association or the tourism association's Shuzenji branch only
Niji-no-Sato park, adult (junior high school and above)	1,220 yen	Admission, tax included
Niji-no-Sato park, child (age 4 through elementary school)	610 yen	Admission, tax included
Niji-no-Sato park, March through September	10:00 to 17:00	Park open
Niji-no-Sato park, October through February	10:00 to 16:00	Park open
Kawara-yu foot bath	Free	Up to 6 people at a time
Rickshaw tour of the onsen town (20 minutes)	2,000 yen per person	Tour around Shuzenji Onsen
Rickshaw, operating times (hour of day)	Basically 10 to 16	Year-round with irregular closing days
Sutra-copying session at Shuzen-ji	2,000 yen per person	Cash only
Sutra-copying session, capacity	12 people per session	Booking needed in advance
Sutra-copying session, booking deadline	21:00 the day before	Book by this time
Light-up of the onsen town	Sunset to 23:00	Lighting times

If you would rather have someone else plan the day, browse the day tours around Shuzenji, and if you want to stay the night, look through places to stay in Shuzenji.