Best Temples Spot List

A beautiful temple like the Pure Land itself that illustrates the prosperity of the Fujiwara regency during the late Heian Period.

Stroll along the heart-shaped pond in the garden

Hasedera or the Hasedera Temple is an old temple with a view of the ocean and the town of Hase in Kamakura. Various flowers bloom in the garden from season to season. Its principal image of worship is one of the largest wooden statues in Japan.

A temple built upon the request of Emperor Tenmu during the Hakuho Period. Reconstructed in recent years, the temple structures showcase beautiful, vibrant colors.

An ancient temple known as an exemplary viewing spot for autumn leaves since the Heian period.

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.

Quietly praying to the rakan statues on the hillsides

Ono no Komachi concealed herself here amongst the plum blossoms

A temple with strings of ”monkey charms”

The first of 33 temples on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, Seiganto-ji is an ever-popular destination for worshipers

Worshipers are charmed by the many flowers and large Kannon statue

Several hundred structures are scattered across Mt. Hiei

Famous for its connection to Honen and it’s beauty in autumn

This temple is the daihonzan (head temple) of the Kencho-ji Temple school of the Rinzai sect and ranks first among the Kamakura Gozan (Kamakura's Five Great Zen Temples). It has a number of national treasures, cultural assets, and historical structures. The Sanmon (three gates) are a must-see.

Famous for the bell that angered Ieyasu

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

One of the last temples to prohibit entry to women

This is a temple erected at the wish of Keishoin, the real mother of Shogun Tsunayoshi Tokugawa. The main hall, remaining in its original state from the Genroku period, has been designated as a National Important Cultural Property.

Featuring a garden created by Motonobu Kano

A spiritual area surrounding Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum