The most beautiful temples to visit Japan

We find in this temple a palace built for the emperor Kōkō (830-887) and completed for his son. The cloistered rule was established by Go-Sanjō to counterbalance the influence of the Fujiwara clan who had made his duties hereditary. The retired emperor ruled in place of the reigning emperor from a monastery. The abbots who succeeded each other here were almost all descendants of the imperial family. Sculpted symbols, still visible on the walls of the temple, attest to his imperial affiliation. To be seen during the flowering of the cherry trees.

Temple of the Rinzai sect, it is one of the five great temples of the city. It was founded in 1226 by Enni. The name of Tōfuku-ji takes the name of two famous temples of Nara, the Tōdai-ji and the Kōfuku-ji. Many times destroyed by the vagaries of war and climate, it was entirely rebuilt in 1347 and it is in this form that it is presented today. The current complex of Tōfuku-ji currently has 24 buildings. We note the magnificent stone and sand garden designed by one of the most famous Buddhist monks of his time: Sesshu.

Temple founded in 824 by Kūkaï. Burned several times and bombed during the World War II, it was rebuilt in the fifties. In the park of the temple, one can see the oldest tree in Tōkyō, which would have grown from the cane of the monk Shinran in the 13th century. The temple has the sacred formula of Daishi Kōbō and Buddhist paintings. The American legation was housed here for more than ten years in the late 19th century. A medallion bearing the effigy of Towsend Harris is part of the temple treasure.

Temple built in the style of.

Located in Ikaruga, about ten kilometers from Nara, and founded in 607 by Prince Shōtoku Taishi, this temple has the oldest wooden structure in the world and claims with strength and determination to be the national masterpiece of Asuka culture. It remains the oldest temple in Japan. To show his gratitude to Buddha for the healing of his father, the Emperor Yōmei (540-587), the prince Shōtoku had the temple built next to the Ikaruga no Miya Palace which he had built in 601. The Hōryū-ji consists of about 40 buildings divided into two areas: the western part, or Sai-in, and the eastern part, or Tōin. There is also a northern part, Kitamuro-in. The treasure is located between the eastern and western parts. It became the first Japanese site to be inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in December 1993 as an exceptional home to the richness of Buddhist culture. More than 15 major events take place every year. Remember to check the programme on the Internet.

Saiin. The western part (saiin) contains the main buildings of the Asuka period (7th and 8th centuries): Chūmon, Kondō and the five-storey pagoda Gojū-no-tō.

Chūmon. The middle gate is topped by a single storey and opens onto the courtyard which contains the other buildings. The two guardian kings Nio, dating from 711, face each other. They are the two oldest earthen statues in Japan.

Kondō. Golden pavilion. Main building erected on a stone base and consisting of two storeys with a four-sloped roof and two gables, the roof being made of a gabled roof. It features the Four Guardians of the World (shi-Tennō), who are among the oldest wooden statues in the world. It contains the Buddhist statues to which the temple is dedicated.

Gojū-no-tō. Five-storey pagoda, 32.50 metres high. Built according to the laws of perspective, it gives an impression of great stability due to its magnificent proportions, but also of height, enhanced by the subtle narrowing of each floor.

Daikōdō (reading room). To the north of the courtyard, closed by the gallery. The original building burnt down in 925 and a building from Kyōto was transferred to this site in 990. Inside, three statues. That of Yakushi Nyorai (this representation of Buddha called Yakushi) is supposed to cure all suffering and diseases.

Tothe west of Daikōdō, the Kyōzō dating from the 8th century and to the east, the belfry (Shōrō) from the 9th century. Back to the west, the Saiendō, built in memory of the wife of the prince Shōtoku, Princess Tachibana. A statue of Yakushi dating from the 8th century can be seen there.

Shōryōin (temple of the soul of Shōtoku). Located east of the court, this building was built in 1121 in memory of the prince Shōtoku and houses several statues of the prince, his sons and the monk Eji.

Daihōzōin (Great Treasure Room). Contemporary double concrete construction dating from 1941. The works of the temple as well as pieces from kūfu (the treasure shop) are exhibited there (the others can be found in the National Museum at Tōkyō).

Tōin. The central part is occupied by the Yumedono (Dreams Pavilion). This octagonal religious building is said to be the oldest in Japan. It dates from the Nara period (8th century). It is in this building that the prince Shōtoku Taishi received in his dreams the answer to his philosophical questions.

Northeast of Senso-ji, this temple was one of the most picturesque landscapes of Edo. Located on a small hill surrounded by vegetation, not far from the Sumida river, it was the subject of many representations in poetry and graphic arts of the time. It attracted pilgrims who came to pray for their health and that of their families. Today, large white radishes can be seen there as offerings to the gods, symbolizing the poison of our ignorance. It is said that offering a radish to the temple would purify the spirit.

Rudyard Kipling wrote that in the Buddha of Kamakura we see the "soul of the East". Without going that far, the august bronze statue enthroned in the open air in the Kōtoku-in is a symbol of Japan. It dates from 1252, measures 13,3 m and weighs 93 t. It is not usual to see a Buddha of this size outside. It was originally indoors, like the Buddha of Nara, but the pavilion was destroyed by a tsunami in 1498, and since then the Amida Buddha has been sitting in the sun.

Founded in 733, Jindai-ji is the^2nd oldest temple in Tokyo area, after Senso-ji in Asakusa. The main gate dates back to 1695. A statue of Amida Nyorai is kept in the main pavilion which was rebuilt in 1919. It is a little bit out of the way and less frequented by tourists than the temples in the center of the city, but it has a very popular and lively atmosphere, especially near the noodle stalls at the entrance.

During the Ganzandaishi festival, at the beginning of March, the temple is transformed into a huge daruma market, one of the biggest in Japan. The round and red figurines that would bring good luck are piled up on the stalls. Once you have found your doll, a priest "opens" one of the eyes by painting a letter in Sanskrit on it. The daruma is then kept for a year, and brought back to the temple the following year, to "close" the^2nd eye. Not to be missed either, the celebration of the autumn moon in October. At this time, the priests chant incantations in front of the main gate (Sanmon).

Behind the temple, a pet cemetery testifies to the love that Japanese people have for their dogs and cats. It is a moving visit that teaches a lot about funeral rites in Japan.

Right next to the temple compound, one can also visit a botanical garden, particularly famous for its thousands of roses with poetic names. It is the largest rose garden in Tokyo and attracts many visitors in autumn.

This temple was founded in 963 by the itinerant monk Kūya Shōnin (903-972). As it was located at the western end of a cemetery, the bodies of poor people who died without a grave were taken care of there. It is of obvious architectural and sculptural interest. The temple was rebuilt several times, including in 1363, when the main hall, one of the oldest buildings in Kyoto, was built. The temple flourished in the 12th century, when the Taira clan had established its headquarters in the vicinity.

Temple built in 788, it was then moved and rebuilt in its current location in 1656, under the supervision of Prince Yoshihisa, brother of Toshihito Hachijō, architect of the imperial city Katsura. A similar architectural style can be seen there. Two buildings are located there, the Daisho-in, in which one can see a sculpture of Amida, and the Kojo-in, a priori forbidden to the public. The tea house seems to have been built by Enshū Kobori (1579-1647) because its style resembles that of Katsura. Visit to be coupled with that of Shugaku-in Rikyu.

Temple founded by Emperor Saga in 841 and famous for being the place where Teika Fujiwara (1161-1240) prepared the anthology Hyakunin Isshu or Simple Poems by 100 poets. It takes its name from the two statues of Amida and Shaka that it houses. Shaka illuminates men in this world while Amida illuminates them in the other world. This temple has always been known for the beauty of the maple trees in autumn in its park and in the surrounding mountain (Kogura-yama), so much so that it has been nicknamed "the racecourse of autumn leaves".

Temple of the Shingon sect founded in 874 by Shōbō (Daishi Rigen), which spans all of Mount Daigo. The construction was directed by Emperor Daigo, who includes a special hall for the worship of the Yakushi. The Yakushi-dō is the oldest of the Daigo-ji complex. It is famous for its kaerumata, frog-shaped architectural pieces that both separate and join two beams. In 952, the empress Onshi built a five-story pagoda which houses several mandalas and is considered to be one of the oldest in Japan.

The temple was destroyed during the Onin civil war and rebuilt in the 16th century by Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1536-1598). It is classified since 1994 as a World Heritage Site by Unesco.

Sanbo-in. Related temple established in 115 by Shokaku, then archbishop of Daigo-ji. However, the actual building dates back to 1598, it was built on the occasion of a festival to contemplate cherry blossoms, organized by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. He designed the garden which is famous for its beauty and is a national historic site. The Karamon, the Chinese gate, lacquered in black and decorated with chrysanthemums and paulownias, was only open to the emperor's messengers. Sanbo-in is architecturally typical of the Momoyama period (1568-1600), during which a lavish aesthetic appeared, which contrasted with the sobriety of the Muromachi period. The daimyos showed their power through rich decorations and paintings with gold leaf.

Founded in the 14th century, this beautiful and peaceful temple houses a statue of Gautama Buddha. Surrounded by greenery, it is also known as Take-dera, the bamboo temple, and is famous for its dense forest of thousands of bamboos where the sun's rays barely penetrate. There are also gorintō, small stone pagodas that commemorate the victims of the siege of Kamakura in 1333. The small tea room completes the ensemble and makes it a very pleasant stopover, even if it is a little out of the way from the Kamakura station.

General Takauji Ashikaga decided to build this temple on the ruins of Emperor Go-Daigo's residence in 1339 after betraying him and sending him to Mount Yoshino in 1338, a mysterious dream. He left it to his tutor Kokushi Musō (Sōseki) to design the garden. The garden is embellished with a small lake and a succession of seven vertical rocks that oscillate between the representation of Chinese ink painting and Zen aesthetics. It is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This Buddhist temple was built at the time of Emperor Seiwa (851-880) in homage to the five Myō-ō, masters of the magical sciences. It took the name of Daikakuji-jō during the Namboku-chō period when it became the headquarters of Emperor Go-Kameyama. Later it was administered by the shōgun Ashikaga family who called upon many artists to create the noble Shoin-zukuri style architecture of the Momoyama period (late 16th century). The hondō (main hall) houses a statue of one of the five Myō-ō, Kongo Yasha, carved in 1176 by Myōen.

The temple, originally called Zenrin-ji, was built in 855 by Shinshō of the Shingon sect. It was in the 11th century that its name changed to Eikan-dō, in honor of the monk Eikan who transformed it into a place of Amidist worship. This place remains famous both for its works of art, and for its beautiful gardens, very popular in autumn. It is built on the side of a mountain. The main hall houses a statue of Amida (Mikaeri no Amida), which means Amida looking back. It is very rare to find statues representing the Buddha in profile.

Built in 1234 by Genchi, a disciple of the witness Shōnin Hōnen who founded the Buddhist sect Jōdo. The principle of this sect is to ritualize the veneration of Amida Buddha in a single act of faith. The temple is of considerable importance to the Japanese and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been burned several times and was last rebuilt in 1633. The giant bell, the largest in Japan, weighs 75 tons. It takes no less than 17 monks to ring it on New Year's Eve.

Starting from Kita-Kamakura, peaceful paths lead us to the Engaku-ji, Zen temple of the Rinzai sect. It was built in 1282 by Hōjō Tokimune (1251-1284) to commemorate the victims of the battles between Japanese warriors and Mongolian attackers in 1274 and 1281. It is only thanks to the fortuitous appearance of typhoons (kamikaze: divine wind), that the Mongols were decimated. One of the largest Zen temples in Kamakura, it originally consisted of forty-seven buildings, but the earthquake of 1923 damaged them and only seventeen pavilions remain.

This small thatched Buddhist temple is the oldest in Kamakura as it is said to have been founded in 734. Inside are three statues of Jūichimen Kannon (the eleven-faced goddess of forgiveness), which are over a thousand years old. The temple's fame is great following a legend that the statues escaped a fire in 1189 by taking shelter behind a giant tree. Today, this temple is best known for being the first temple in the pilgrimage of the thirty-three Bandō temples, a succession of temples in eastern Japan dedicated to Kannon.

This Confucian temple was founded in 1632 by Razan Hayashi, a neo-Confucian thinker and tutor of the first shōguns Tokugawa. Originally built in Ueno, it was moved to its present site by the shōgun Tsunayoshi in 1690. Clearly marked by Chinese influences, the temple, which was originally vermilion-colored, owes its present appearance to a reconstruction in 1935. Confucian temples are rare in Tokyo, and all its charm comes from the trace that time has left and the calm of the garden. The contrast is striking with the nearby Kanda-Myojin shrine.

This temple founded in 1594 by Hideyoshi Toyotomi for his favorite, Yodogimi, is regularly among the "sinister" selections to visit in Kyoto. In cause: its bloody ceiling, built from beams impregnated with the blood of the servants of the Tokugawa who committed a ritual suicide, seppukku, during the siege of Fujimi Castle. But that's not its only attraction. It features beautiful doors and panels by Rimpa painters such as Sōtatsu Tawaraya. To see: the kirin, emblem of kindness, the pair of lions and white elephants.

Located about ten minutes walk north of Kyoto Central Station, it is one of the largest temples in Japan. It is a branch of Hongan-ji born from the split of the latter in 1602 and forms, with Nishi-Honganji, the seat of the Pure Land Buddhist sect. This sect goes back to the monk Shinran (1173-1263) for whom salvation came from the repetition of "Namu Amida butsu" (I worship the Buddha), and whose teachings became very popular in Japan. The proportions of the temple are exceptional. Most of the buildings were rebuilt in the late 19th and early 20th centuries after a fire destroyed the temple in 1823. An exhibition inside explains the construction process of the main monument, the Goei-dō.

The Goei-dō, at the heart of the complex, is the largest wooden building in Kyoto, and one of the largest in the world. It is 76 meters long, 58 meters wide and 38 meters high. Under the massive roof supported by 90 pillars, nearly a thousand tatami mats invite meditation, under the gaze of the founder Shinran, to whom the pavilion is dedicated. The present building dates from the end of the 19th century.
To the left of the Goei-dō, the Amida pavilion is slightly smaller. It honors the Amida Buddha, who is enthroned on the main altar.
The gates of the temple are also imposing, especially the Goei-dō gate, which rises in two stories to a height of 28 meters. Its construction dates back to 1911 and its renovation, which was completed in 2015, has restored its majesty.

Located in the centre of the city, it is the seat of the sect Jōdo Shinshū ("sect of the Pure Land"), founded by Shinran (1174-1268). It is said that to limit the ancestry of the sect, which was immensely popular in Japan, Ieyasu Tokugawa is said to have demanded the foundation of a temple further east, the Higashi Hongan-ji. Seven of the Nishi Hongan-ji's buildings are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They are superb examples of the architecture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1568-1600).

At the northern end of Ueno Park and a stone's throw from the Yanaka cemetery stands the Kan'eiji, the central temple to which the entire Ueno Park, the pagoda and the pond were attached. It was a place of power in the Edo period and six Tokugawa leaders are still buried there. On the other side of the main street, Jomyo-in was first the residence of one of the monks of Kan'eiji. The temple would be surrounded by 84,000 jizō, gods of pilgrims and children. At first glance, there is a little less, but the effect is impressive.

Nanzen-ji is at the heart of the cultural identity of the imperial capital. It includes both the monastery, a Zen temple, and to the north, the Ginkaku-ji - an elegant residence of a late medieval world. The last two buildings are connected by the Philosophy Path. The temple and monastery were built in 1291 on the site of a residence of Emperor Kameyama (1259-1305) at the foot of Mount Higashiyama.
Temple of the Rinzai sect, it is one of the most important temples in Kyoto and Japan. According to Chinese tradition, there are five important Zen temples, which form the Gozan (five mountains). Nanzen-ji was regularly considered as the first temple of the Gozan. Most of the buildings were burned down during the civil wars. These buildings were regularly restored until the ^17th century and the oldest ones are from the Edo period. The temple is particularly known for the Hojo stone garden, the former residence of the head priest.

Eikan-dō. The temple is located at the northern end of the Nanzen-ji complex. Originally called Zenrin-ji, it was built in 855 by Shinshō of the Shingon sect. It was in the ^11th century that its name changed to Eikan-dō. This place is famous for both its artworks and its beautiful gardens. The temple is built into the side of a mountain and has many corridors and landings. The main hall houses a statue of Amida looking back. This is a rather unusual type of representation of the Buddha.

A singular place and far from the more frequented tourist circuit of Arashiyama. High up on a hill, the Sagano area served as a cemetery where the bodies of the poor were sometimes thrown to the wind without proper burial. This prompted the monk Kūkai to establish a Buddhist temple to save their souls. Over 8,000 small stone Buddhas have been planted on the grounds over time in memory of those who died alone and without family. Candles are lit in their honor every year on the night of August 23.

This large western temple is famous because it is here that the Ochamori festival is held, during which you must drink tea from a huge bowl. It was founded in 765 by the Empress Shōtoku and quickly became one of the largest temples of Nara and the heart of the sect Risshū.

The Shaka-dō, rebuilt in 1752, has a statue of Sakyamuni executed by Eizon, the temple's first abbot.

The Chio-dō, rebuilt in 1771, houses a Jūichimen Kannon and the four guardians of the Heian period.

In the Kon-dō, the statues of Miroku Bosatsu and Monju Bosatsu stand out.

The Gangō-ji was founded by Umako Soga in 588 in Asuka, when Buddhism had just appeared in the country. Part of the temple was transferred to Nara in 718, but its pagoda was burned by lightning in 1196. The temple was one of the main ones in the city along with Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji. It is not as famous today, but it is nice to visit, especially for the Contemplation Hall. The complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, and is easily accessible as part of a walk in Naramachi.

A very beautiful Zen temple founded in 1327 by Muso Kokushi, a great Zen master of the time, the temple has a seated wooden statue of the master dating from the Muromachi period (14th century). The Ichiran pavilion offers a view of Mount Fuji. The Zen garden of natural stones, which was designed by Muso Kokushi himself, is worth a visit on its own, but the temple, surrounded by greenery, is girdled by the foliage of maple and plum trees that are magnificent in all seasons. To reach it, it is recommended to follow the Tenen hiking trail from the Kencho-ji.

Like Daitoku-ji, Myoshin-ji is a complex of some fifty temples, most of which are not accessible. You can stroll along the winding paths inside.
This temple of the Rinzai sect was built in 1337 for Emperor Hanazono (1297-1348). Burnt down several times, it wasn't until the ^17th century that it took on its definitive form, with a maze of secondary temples scattered around various gardens. To the south is the San-mon gate (1599) and its Garan. This includes the hattō (reading room) famous for its ceiling where Tany Kanō (1602-1674) painted a huge dragon. A bell, said to date back to 698, making it the oldest bell in Japan, is located in the bell tower.

Daishin-in. Founded by Hosokawa in 1492, this peaceful temple boasts a lovely new stone garden designed by Kinsaku Nakane, as well as a peony garden conducive to meditation.

Taizo-in. This temple, to the west of San-mon Gate, is the best-known of the complex, as much for its Japanese garden with pond as for the dry garden designed by Motonobu Kanō in the ^15th century. It contains, among other things, Chinese ink paintings and a famous work by Zen Josetsu, Catfish Caught with a Gourd.

Keishun-in. A temple of interest for its quiet tea room from which you can contemplate the garden.

Shunko-in. Founded in 1590, this temple has been an important center of contemporary Buddhism. You can visit it for an introduction to Zen meditation, the tea ceremony or calligraphy.

Founded in 816 in Kudoyama by Kōbō-Daishi, at the foot of Mount Kôya, this temple marks the beginning of the pilgrimage paths to Koyasan. It is thus part of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountains listed by Unesco. Until 1800, women could not go to Koyasan to pray. This temple, on the road, was therefore a key stop for women wishing to pray. Today, there are many offerings in the shape of breasts. It is a recognized temple for pregnant women and those who wish to be cured of an illness.