Best Temples Spot List

A temple founded in Higashiyama by Hideyoshi Toyotomi's wife, Nene, to mourn his passing and pray for his soul. The nighttime illuminations in spring, summer and fall are beautiful to see.

A little-known temple hidden deep in the mountains

The head temple of the Shingon Sect's Omuro School. Holding a long association with the Imperial Household, the temple is also well known for its late-blooming cherry trees called Omuro-zakura.

A soto-zen Buddhist temple, better known as Toyokawa Inari, which had been worshiped by both the mighty warriors of each era and common people of Edo-Tokyo. You can make a pilgrimage to the seven lucky gods and enjoy viewing lit paper lanterns.

This temple is one of the Three Mountains of the Kanto region for the Chisan sect of Shingon Buddhism and is well-known as a temple to ward off evil. Enjoy the shops in the surrounding streets after attending a Goma Rite (a ceremony in which Goma wood is burned in a fireplace on the Goma platform).

One of the Monzeki temples of the Tendai sect that enshrines the National Treasure Amida Sanzon (Amida Triad) statue in eternal tranquility.

A temple of the Nichiren sect on Mt. Ogura in Sagano. It is well-known for ”Hyakunin Isshu” (a collection of 100 poems by 100 different poets). In autumn, the nearby mountains awash with brilliant red leaves.

A temple with strings of ”monkey charms”

You can experience making a Buddhist rosary using genuine stones, while looking at the graceful garden

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.

The head temple of the Rinzai sect, known as the highest-ranked Zen temple in Japan.

A spiritual area surrounding Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum

Featuring a wooden statue of a historical Shogun from the Ashikaga period

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

Enjoy the burning red foliage in autumn and the cherry blossoms and rhododendrons in spring

A temple that has existed since the Warring States period and is connected to Nobunaga

A massive triple gate welcomes you to the head temple for the Obaku sect of Zen Buddhism

Tadao Ando designed this temple's main hall

The resting place of the Tsugaru family

One of Kyoto's most renowned temples, located on the side of Mt. Otowa in the Higishiyama Range. It has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.