Twenty minutes or so by train west of Shizuoka station, Fujieda may now be a fairly quiet, pleasant suburb, but its strategic position on the historic Tokaido Highway between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo) means that it has an abundance of sights, numerous temples and shrines among them.
Close to the impressive Daikei-ji, Toun-ji is one of several Buddhist temples clustered in this part of the town. Set back a little from the route of the Tokaido, it backs onto a fairly steep slope, and the cemetery behind the main hall extends up the slope, giving a nice view over the graves, hall and surrounding area.
There are also a number of interesting Buddhist statues dotted around the grounds, some of them ancient and weathered, some of them new and unblemished. And under the eaves of the main hall, there's an attractive wooden carving, nice to look at but difficult to photograph well.
It's certainly worth stopping in at Toun-ji to stroll around slowly, take in the peaceful atmosphere, and to admire the view from the slope.
