Kasamori Temple, an ancient temple on a rock in Chiba Prefecture
In early November, we had the opportunity to travel to Chiba Prefecture. The destination we really wanted to visit was the very old Kasamori Temple, which was built in 784.
This temple is located in the center of Chiba Prefecture. Most of the trips require a private car because the temple is located in the middle of a forest, far from the community.
When you reach the temple, you have to park your car before going up the stairs to the mountain where the temple is located. Along the path that climbs the stairs that are not too steep, we can admire various types of lush trees, with tall trunks that are believed to be at least 100 years old. The beauty of the large forest along the way will make walking up the stairs not tiring because you can stop to take pictures at each point.
It doesn't take long to reach the temple's main hall. Before reaching the main hall, there is an archway with a shop selling amulets and souvenirs to choose from, plus a small cafe to drink water if you get tired.
But since we went in the fall, the weather was quite cool, so we didn't get tired at all.
The main hall of Kasamori Temple is a wooden building built across a large rock. It looks very majestic. According to the history, this temple is registered as a national cultural property.
Before going up to the upper hall, you should wash your hands and mouth according to your beliefs. You must also take off your shoes and put them in a plastic bag and carry them up. Climb the rather steep stairs. The old wood of the building makes it look very sacred. The walkway is slippery, so be careful. Elderly people may need to be especially careful.
Before going inside, there is an entrance fee of 300 yen per person.
Inside, taking pictures is prohibited. We paid respect to the Buddha statue inside before walking around the tall building with a beautiful view of the surrounding forest.
This temple is not crowded, probably because it is not very convenient to travel to. Most of the people are Japanese, not many foreign tourists, so walking around is comfortable, quiet, and gives a real temple feel.
The area around the temple also has a quiet forest. Walk out a bit and you will find a pond with a Japanese-style pavilion. Taking pictures is as beautiful as a painting.
For tourists who have the opportunity to go to Chiba, I would like to recommend you to visit it because it is another interesting tourist attraction that is not very well known. It is another unseen place in Japan. Even though we went during the autumn season, this year the leaves turned red late, so we did not see many leaves changing color. However, I believe that after this, the leaves will change color more and this temple should be even more beautiful as well.