An Encounter with Time
We began our story of exploration and adventure thanks to our friends at CoolKofu, who told us about this place filled with history.
An ancestral tree… one that was already here, blooming when Jesus was still walking the Earth, and that has continued to do so for more than 2,000 years.
While many civilizations were just beginning, others disappeared, and new ones would emerge decades, centuries, or even millennia later… this tree has remained there, in silence, watching time pass.
How many couples in love have stood beneath its shelter?
In how many festivals has it taken part?
How many times have birds carried its seeds and spread them across the land? Hundreds? Thousands of times?
With my wife by my side, these were the questions that crossed my mind when I finally stood before this millenary tree.
There is something fascinating about waking up early and setting off toward the unknown… toward meeting something that, in silence, has been here long before you, and will likely remain long after your final breath.
And for those of you who read these words when we are no longer here… this is a small piece of what we experienced in our time.
The Journey to the Sanctuary
The journey from Kofu is not difficult; in fact, it’s quite simple.
You only need to take a train, and in about 30 minutes, you’ll arrive at the station. From there, a bus takes you to within about 1 kilometer of the sanctuary, which lies up the road.
From that very ascent, the magic begins.
Cherry blossom trees line the roadside, fully in bloom, accompanying every step. It’s that time of year when everything fills with color… and you can truly feel it.
And then, unexpectedly, we found something curious: a “tree house.”
Though technically it isn’t in the tree… and technically it isn’t really a house… this small structure, set beside a cherry tree at a roadside corner, invited us to climb up and pause for a moment.
Sometimes, the unexpected detours become part of the journey itself.
A Place Full of Life
When we arrived, we were met with a wonderful surprise: there was a market.
Food stalls, fresh produce, vegetables, and handcrafted goods filled the street with life, movement, and sound… along with visitors, mostly locals.
To enter the sanctuary where the tree stands, there is a fee of 500 yen per person. Card payment is accepted, and there is staff who speak English, which makes everything easier.
We also had the chance to learn more about the temple and the monk who cares for it, who turned out to be very kind.
Once inside, the welcome feels special.
An “army” of cherry blossom trees lines both sides of the entrance path: tall, full of flowers, and of many different varieties, creating a passage that prepares you for what lies ahead.
Among them, a purification fountain stands out: a dragon that, instead of breathing fire, releases water to cleanse you before entering the prayer spaces.
You can also obtain a goshuin book — one of the most beautiful we’ve seen so far — and, of course, collect temple stamps in various designs and prices.
The place is not large compared to others we’ve visited, but it is undoubtedly one of the most harmonious.
The aromas from the market drift over the temple walls and, in quiet complicity with the scenery, fill you with joy… and hunger.
There is also a bell tower, a small cemetery, and beautiful views of snow-capped mountains. Behind one of the temple buildings, we even found a small local shop.
The Tree That Has Seen Everything
And then… we saw it.
The oldest cherry tree in the world.
Standing there.
With its massive trunk, twisted and cracked. A symbol of falling… and beginning again, over and over.
This is a tree where you can see its age. Its time here. Its history. Its resilience.
And above all, its silent promise to remain here long after all of us are gone.
It is not just a beautiful tree… it is a witness.
To generations.
To moments.
To lives that came, lived… and passed.
And even its name carries meaning.
This tree is known as Jindai Zakura.
“Jindai” can be understood as “as ancient as the age of mythology.”
And it could not have a more fitting name.
Because this tree does not belong only to history…
it feels like it belongs to something even older.
Something that existed before stories were ever written.
But there is more… something that left us completely in silence when we discovered it.
A Tree That Touched Space
Within the same grounds, almost as if it were a secret many overlook, there is another, smaller tree.
At first glance, it might go unnoticed… but its story is extraordinary.
This tree comes from seeds of the same ancient tree.
Seeds that, at one point, were sent into space.
Yes… into space.
In 2008, some of these seeds traveled to the International Space Station, where they spent months orbiting the Earth before returning.
After coming back, they were planted again… and one of them now grows here, in this very temple.
As if time itself were not enough…
this tree also touched the sky.
What’s even more curious is that this “space sakura” blooms differently.
Some of its flowers have six petals instead of five, as if carrying a subtle mark of its journey.
What It Leaves Us
Standing before it, it is impossible not to reflect.
It reminds us how small we truly are…
and how fleeting our time in this world is.
But it also reminds us of something important:
That precisely because of that, we must cherish every moment we have.
Because nothing… guarantees tomorrow.
Practical Info
- Entrance fee: 500 yen per person
- Payment: Credit cards accepted
- Language: Some staff members speak English
- Access:
- Train from Kofu (approx. 30 minutes)
- Bus from the station
- Around 1 km walk uphill to reach the temple
- Best season to visit:
- Spring (cherry blossom season)
- Goshuin (temple stamp book) and real ink stamps available
- Official Website: https://www.jindaizakura.com/
