Kuon-ji Temple & Mount Minobu Weeping Cherries, Minobu, Yamanashi

Live Camera | Mount Minobu Kuon-ji Temple Courtyard, Minobu, Yamanashi, Japan. Established in 1274 by the Buddhist monk Nichiren, Kuon-ji Temple atop Mount Minobu serves as the head temple of Nichiren Buddhism. Renowned for two colossal 400-year-old weeping cherry trees (shidarezakura) cascading pink blossoms to the ground in spring, the sprawling complex also features the dramatic 287-step "Bodhi Ladder" stone staircase. Visitors take the Minobusan Ropeway to the mountaintop for views of Mount Fuji, dining on delicate freshly made Minobu Yuba (tofu skin) and sweet steamed black-sugar Minobu Manju buns. ✦ Must-Visit Highlights: ▸ Head Temple of Nichiren Buddhism (1274): Explore monumental timber sanctuaries steeped in 750 years of sacred Buddhist history. ▸ 400-Year-Old Weeping Cherry Blossoms: Admire spectacular weeping sakura curtains cascading down ancient temple flagstones. ▸ Artisanal Minobu Yuba & Black Sugar Manju: Savor delicate silky tofu skin banquets and famous steaming brown-sugar buns.