Best Temples around Kansai Spot List

Famous for the bell that angered Ieyasu

A famous location for autumn leaves, connected to Kukai (Kobo-daishi)

Famous for a painted fusuma from Tohaku Hasegawa

A little-known temple hidden deep in the mountains

Himeji’s famous mountain-top temple

Worshipers are charmed by the many flowers and large Kannon statue

Tadao Ando designed this temple's main hall

Known by locals as “Kurodani-san”

A school that embodies the dreams of Buddhist teacher Kobo Daishi

Ono no Komachi concealed herself here amongst the plum blossoms

Happiness arrives with the buzzing of bell crickets

Blessed with knowledge by Monju

Make your wishes at Nariai-ji Temple

A spiritual area surrounding Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum

The head temple of the Myoshin-ji Temple school of the Rinzai sect. It is Japan's largest Zen temple, with 46 sub-temples.

Don't miss seeing the resting place for Shinsengumi members, Mibu-zuka

The mountain villa of Minamoto no Toru, the model for Hikaru Genji

The main training center for Shingon Esoteric Buddhism with its iconic five-story pagoda, the key landmark of Kyoto's scenery. The temple is known as ”Daishi's temple.”

Occasionally open seasonally for cherry blossom, azalea, and fall leaves viewing

A large temple in Nara featuring many structures that illustrate the culture from the Tempyo Period. It is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.