Mimasaka kokubun-ji

Mimasaka Kokubun-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple in Tsuyama that originally occupied a square site surrounded by earthen walls and traditional Japanese buildings. The compound once contained multiple halls and gates arranged according to classical temple layouts.

Emperor Shomu commissioned the temple's founding in 741 as part of a nationwide campaign to establish Buddhist temples across Japanese provinces. It later adopted the Soto sect practices during the Sengoku period under the patronage of the Imagawa clan.

The temple holds a bronze bell from the early Heian period, which received designation as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1922.

Visitors can explore the ruins and foundations of the original complex, which were uncovered during archaeological excavations over several decades. The site includes informational displays that explain the temple's former layout and structure.

The temple houses a bronze bell from the early Heian period that was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1922. This rare bell is one of the few surviving original objects from the temple's earliest era and reveals the artistic craftsmanship of that time.