Ancient Temples of Minamiyamashiro: Kuni Palace Site, Kaijusen-ji Temple, and Kasagi-dera Temple (By Car)

This driving course takes you through Minamiyamashiro, where the Kizu River flows, visiting the remains of a Nara-period capital and ancient temples perched on mountains. Walk through the Kuni Palace Site where Emperor Shomu established his capital, gaze down over Mikanohara from Kaijusen-ji Temple on the mountainside, and finish at Kasagi-dera Temple at the summit of Mt. Kasagi, renowned for its rows of massive boulders. In a single day, you can trace the footprints of prayer extending from the Nara period to the Kamakura period.

History and Regional Appeal

The Minamiyamashiro region is dotted with National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties spanning from the Hakuho period through the Heian and Kamakura periods, conveying the history and faith of ancient capitals to the present day. In the twelfth month of Tenpyo 12 (740), Emperor Shomu relocated the capital from Heijo-kyo to Mikanohara. This was Kuni-kyo. It remained the capital for only three years and three months, until Tenpyo 16 (744), earning it the moniker of the "phantom capital." During this brief period, however, the imperial edict to establish provincial temples (Kokubun-ji) was issued. After the capital was relocated, the Daigokuden Hall of Kuni Palace became the Kon-do (main hall) of Yamashiro Kokubun-ji Temple.

According to temple tradition, Kaijusen-ji Temple originated in Tenpyo 7 (735), when Emperor Shomu, wishing for the successful construction of the Great Buddha (Vairochana), ordered Roben to build a single temple building to pray for safe construction. During the Kamakura period, Gedatsu Shonin Jokei, a scholarly monk who entered Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara at an early age, moved to Kasagi-dera Temple in Kenkyu 3 (1192), erecting various halls and bringing great prosperity to the temple. In Jogen 2 (1208), Jokei moved to Kaijusen-ji Temple and revitalized it. The two mountain temples on this course are thus connected through Jokei.

Major Highlights

• ​Kuni Palace Site (Yamashiro Kokubun-ji Temple Site)​​: Archaeological excavations conducted since 1973 have revealed that the palace measured approximately 560 meters east-to-west and 750 meters north-to-south. On the podium of the Daigokuden Hall, two granite foundation stones remain in their original positions, and southeast of the Kon-do site, the foundation stones of the seven-story pagoda of Yamashiro Kokubun-ji Temple remain almost entirely intact. In December 2025 (Reiwa 7), the national Council for Cultural Affairs recommended its designation as a Special Historic Site, making it the first ancient archaeological site in Kyoto Prefecture to receive this recommendation.
• ​Kaijusen-ji Temple​​: A temple belonging to the Chisan School of Shingon Buddhism, located midway up Mount Kaiju. In Kenpo 2 (1214), on the first anniversary of Jokei's death, his disciple Kakushin built the five-story pagoda. Standing at a total height of 17.7 meters, this National Treasure features a pent roof called a mokoshi around its first story. The technique of terminating the central pillar above the first-story ceiling is the oldest known example among existing five-story pagodas. From the temple grounds, one can look down upon Mikanohara, the remains of Kuni-kyo, and the Kizu River.
• ​Kasagi-dera Temple​​: A temple belonging to the Chisan School of Shingon Buddhism, situated at the peak of Mt. Kasagi towering over the south bank of the Kizu River. Its principal image is a 15.7-meter-tall relief of Miroku Bosatsu (Maitreya) carved into a giant rock face. However, its original appearance was lost to repeated fires of war, leaving only part of the halo today. During the Genko War of Genko 1 (1331), it served as the temporary imperial palace (anzaisho) for Emperor Go-Daigo. Deeper in the temple grounds, a pilgrimage training course of about 800 meters per circuit takes visitors past the 9-meter-tall Kokuzo relief carving, the Tainai-kuguri (womb passage), Taiko-ishi (drum rock), and Yurugi-ishi (swaying rock), while Byodo-ishi rock offers a panoramic view of the Kizu River and the town of Kasagi.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The estimated time required is about 6 hours. The Kuni Palace Site lies amid rural countryside spreading north of the Kizu River, where foundation stones remain scattered across a wide expanse overgrown with wild grasses. In autumn, from late September through October, the blooming cosmos fields across the site are a highlight.

About 1.3 kilometers north of the Kuni Palace Site, on the mountainside, sits Kaijusen-ji Temple. It is roughly 2 kilometers from National Route 163 and can be visited by private car. After walking through the palace site, try looking down upon Mikanohara, which you have just walked, from the grounds of Kaijusen-ji Temple.

From Kaijusen-ji Temple to Kasagi-dera Temple is approximately 7.8 kilometers in a straight line to the east-southeast. Mt. Kasagi has relatively gentle slopes on its southern and western sides, allowing vehicles to drive close to the summit. As some sections of the road are narrow, drive up at a leisurely pace. Park at the paid parking lot near the summit and proceed up into the grounds on foot. Touring the mountain gate, the temple grounds, and the pilgrimage training course takes about an hour; as some areas, such as the rocks, are slippery, comfortable walking shoes are recommended. On calm, windless early mornings from around late October to early December, a sea of clouds can be seen from Mt. Kasagi.

Experience Summary

Foundation stones lingering at Emperor Shomu's phantom capital, the National Treasure five-story pagoda associated with Jokei, and the cliff-carved Maitreya relief on massive boulders. Experience this driving journey through Minamiyamashiro along the Kizu River to trace the history of capitals and prayers continuing from the Nara period to the Kamakura period.