Best Temples Spot List

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

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

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 head temple of the Rinzai sect's Tofuku-ji School, which has Japan's largest monastery and oldest San-mon gate. It is known as one of Kyoto's best places to view autumn leaves.

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

A grand temple complex established on Mount Koya some 900 years ago

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.

A mortuary temple for the imperial household

A Zen temple associated with warlord Date Masamune. Visit the main hall, which is a designated national treasure, and the architectural masterpiece that is the Kuri (kitchen building).

The fierce-eyed Fudo Myo-o (Acala) statue, this Buddhist temple's main object of worship, is really astounding. The backdrop of beautiful red maple leaves is also impressive.

This is an old temple that is said to have been built in the Kamakura period (1192 to 1333). During the Edo period (1603 to 1868), it became known for the tomi-kuji lottery and was called Edo-santomi (three shrines selling lotteries).

This is a historic temple established in 830 and also known as Kawagoe Daishi. The temple is famous for the 538 statues of rakan (disciples of Buddha) with various facial expressions.

A soaring five-story pagoda at Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa with magnificent nighttime illumination.

This is a branch temple of the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple on the land of Kawagoe and is famous for its goma-kito (a ritual of consecrated fire) and the flea market on the 28th of every month.

A vault of many national cultural artifacts from the Nara period

A temple of flowers, with a circuit-style garden

This is a historically valuable temple that has National Treasures within its magnificent scenery that makes good use of nature. Zazen seated meditation meetings are held on weekends.

Established by Emperor Shirakawa during the Heian Period, the temple's name derives from the ingo (posthumous Buddhist name) of Yoshiakira Ashikaga, the second shogun of the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun). While exploring the precinct, you'll find the graves of Yoshiakira and Masatsura Kusunoki, the busho (military commander) of Nancho (Southern Court) located next to each other. Masatsura was much respected by Yoshiakira even though he was an enemy general. During autumn, the maple leaves turn a striking red (visitors are not allowed to bring in a tripod stand or a unipod).

Legend has it that the temple buildings were built by Emperor Shomu. In addition to the exquisite Kamakura-Period-style Romon Gate (National Treasure) facing the old road, there is a Kamakura-Period-style thirteen-story pagoda (Important Cultural Property) towering at the center of the temple grounds. The temple is also famous for its cosmos flowers.

Hozomon Gate houses Nio statues on each side (one called Agyo and the other called Ungyo). The 4.5-meter long giant waraji sandals ward off evil