Best Temples Spot List

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

The resting place of the Tsugaru family

Several hundred structures are scattered across Mt. Hiei

A Zen temple of the Rinzai Sect of Buddhism, world famous for its traditional rock garden.

An ancient temple supported by common people

A little-known temple hidden deep in the mountains

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

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.

The scattered fallen leaves in autumn are beautiful

Check out the ”Sento Kuyo” ceremony on summer nights

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.

An ancient temple with a beautiful garden, connected to Murasaki Shibibu

A Zen temple of the Rinzai School built in the scenic area of Arashimaya in Kyoto. It was built by Takauji Ashikaga in memory of the recently deceased Emperor Go-Daigo.

The head temple of the Jodo sect, founded at the place where Honen Shonin passed away. The magnificent monastery was built under the wing of the Tokugawa family.

An elegant temple with a Japanese rock garden and wonderful autumn foliage

Classical Zen Buddhist temple with gardens designed by Muso Kokushi. Enjoy the maple trees and seasonal flowers.

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.

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

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.

Beloved Buddha artifacts inside the school of Heijo Palace