Sketch of Kokubun-ji, Early April

The area around Kokubun-ji Temple is carefully preserved and maintains a satoyama landscape typical of the Kibiji Region.
In early April, cherry blossoms, peach blossoms, and fields of rapeseed flowers bloom around the five-tiered pagoda, creating my favorite scenery.
Kokubun-ji Temple was originally founded in the Nara period (710–794) by imperial order of Emperor Shōmu.
The original temple complex was destroyed by warfare during the Nanboku-chō period (1337–1392) and later fell into ruin.
In the mid-Edo period (1681–1780), the temple was revived as Nisshōzan Kokubun-ji with the support of the Makita family, the local feudal lords.
The present five-tiered pagoda was rebuilt around 1844 in the late Edo period and underwent complete dismantling and restoration between 1990 and 1994.
The surrounding area is also one of the main production centers of Okayama peaches. Peach orchards spread across the nearby hills, adding to the rural landscape.
Snapshot photo: April 11, 2008, 8:56 a.m.
Watercolor sketch created: June 2025