Tozenji in Matsudo City with a hint of autumn colour [SPOT REPORT]

Tozenji the Jodo sect temple in the Kogane area of Matsudo City, is most famous for its weeping cherry trees in spring. But it’s also spectacular in autumn with hundreds of momiji maples.

I made my way to Tozenji in the early morning on November 12th for 紅葉狩り, momijigari, maple hunting.

The first thing you’ll encounter is the gate with a huge stone monument indicating that this temple is designated as a place to pay your respects to the imperial family. Flanking the gate are sprawling maples, and just one has started to turn red in contrast to all the greenery. I was a bit disheartened, wondering if I was too early, but stepping inside the gate were many deciduous trees turning color and shedding leaves.

The autumnal atmosphere is as much a result of the towering evergreens as the changing leaves as they shade the promenade and keep the temperature low. They’re ancient, as the temple was founded over 500 years ago, plenty of time for these huge trees to establish themselves. In front of the next gate, Niomon dating from the early 19th century, there was quite a bit of colored foliage just within the gate and looking back.

Looking past the bell tower, I got another hint of the changing season, glimpsing some color.

The main temple is a survivor of the land reform of the post-war era. The mature trees, cemetery, and the temple’s front court feel spacious and press back the urban landscape around it.

It looks like if you go early in the day in the next few weeks, you’ll see a greater profusion of color as the momjiji maples change.

The temple’s parking spaces are reserved for participants in services and families tending graves. The easiest way to visit is to walk from Kita-Kogane Station. It takes less than 10 minutes from the south exit.

On the other side of Kita-Kogane Station, Hondoji, the Nichiren Buddhist temple in a shallow valley has far more color than Tozenji. Is it an effect of micro-climate, or the temple gardener’s conscious choice? I’m not quite sure. Maybe next week I’ll make another visit and update you on these two popular temples.