南泉寺

Overview

Nansen-ji is a temple of the Myoshin-ji branch of the Rinzai Zen school in Yamagata, Gifu Prefecture. Its mountain name is Zuio-zan. Known as the sixty-ninth site of the Mino Shikoku pilgrimage, it opens its grounds in a calm, mountain-ringed setting. Though it shares the Rinzai Myoshin-ji lineage with Bairyu-ji, it is rooted in the different land of Yamagata and has taken its own place within the local pilgrimage culture.

Highlights

• ●A Rinzai Myoshin-ji Zen temple bearing the mountain name Zuio-zan
• ●A quiet setting encircled by the hills of Yamagata
• ●Its pilgrimage role as the sixty-ninth site of the Mino Shikoku
• ●The composed mountain air felt through all four seasons

History

Belonging to the Myoshin-ji branch of the Rinzai school, the temple carries the mountain name Zuio-zan. As the sixty-ninth site of the Mino Shikoku, it has drawn faith as one of the pilgrimage places that recreate Shikoku's route on Mino soil. The name Zuio, meaning to answer auspicious signs, reflects a wish fitting for a Zen temple. For details of its founding and first abbot, please check the official information.

Map

35.5398, 136.7630 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Head to Nansen-ji in the hills of Yamagata
2. 2Enter the grounds through the Zuio-zan gate and pay respects at the main hall
3. 3Savor the stillness of a Mino Shikoku pilgrimage site
4. 4Set off home while enjoying the surrounding mountain-village scenery

Did you know?

💡 The Mino Shikoku is a pilgrimage that recreates the original Shikoku Eighty-eight on the land of Mino. As its sixty-ninth site, Nansen-ji carries on the prayers of local pilgrims.

Nearby spots