Kezo-ji Temple (Mt. Makuragi) – 華蔵寺（枕木山)

The temple of Kezo-ji stands on top of Mt. Makuragi, 456m above sea level. It offers an impressive view of Lake Nakaumi, Daikonshima Island, Mt. Daisen, Matsue City and even the Oki Islands on a clear day.

The temple serves as a guarding place to ward off evil spirits, because the mountain is precisely located on the north-eastern quarter of Matsue City, a direction which is considered to be particularly inauspicious in Feng Shui. Matsue and its castle are protected by two other such temples in this direction: Senju-in and Fumon-in. This is one of the temples where tea enthusiast and feudal lord of Matsue Matsudaira Fumai enjoyed the tea ceremony. While climbing the stairs to the temple, one can see a 9m tall stone statue of a Buddhist guardian deity Acala.

Admission Fee	Free. Tea is 300¥.
URL	www.kezoji.com (Japanese)
Tel	0852-34-1241
Access	Kezoji is located 14km from JR Matsue Station, roughly 35mn by car. Bus as far as Honjo District (by Lake Nakaumi, 5km from there) and taxi to temple (reservation neccesary). See the website for access pictures (Japanese)