Pure Land Paradise: A Return to Serenity
This Jodo sect temple, located in Kyoto's Arashiyama near Sagatoriimoto, is a 15-minute walk from Arashiyama Station. It is renowned for its approximately 8,000 stone Buddha statues and pagodas, as well as its tranquil maple and bamboo forest.
The 8,000 stone Buddha statues and pagodas commemorate unclaimed souls, creating a solemn atmosphere. Every August, the "Thousand Lantern Offering" is held, where candles are lit to honor these souls, creating a dreamlike and moving scene. In autumn, the maple leaves and bamboo forest paths are breathtakingly beautiful, making it a perfect spot for photography. Admission is ¥500, and the temple is open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, offering a chance to experience Zen and historical tranquility.
Due to its proximity to the traditional architectural area of Sagatoriimoto and Seiryoji Temple (0.5 km), the temple can be combined with a visit to Daikakuji Temple or the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (1.5 km) for a day trip.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple was founded in 811 by Kobo Daishi (Kukai) to honor the unclaimed remains exposed in the Adashino area. Originally named Gochizan Nyoraiji Temple, it was later converted into a Nenbutsu (chanting Buddha's name) hall by Honen Shonin and renamed Nenbutsuji Temple.
During the Heian period, Adashino, along with Toribeno near Kiyomizu Temple and Rengeoin near Senbon Enmadō, was one of Kyoto's three major burial sites, where remains were often left exposed in the wild. In the mid-Meiji period, locals gathered scattered stone Buddha statues and pagodas into the temple grounds, forming today's "Saiin Kawara."
Saiin Kawara features approximately 8,000 stone Buddha statues and pagodas arranged neatly, commemorating unclaimed souls. The solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere feels as if one is listening to Buddhist teachings. Photography is prohibited to show respect, and visitors must follow the temple's guidelines.
Every year on the evenings of August 23-24, the "Thousand Lantern Offering" is held, where thousands of candles are lit to honor unclaimed souls. The candlelight reflecting on the stone Buddha statues creates a mystical and dreamlike scene, making it a unique summer night experience in Kyoto. Admission for this event is approximately ¥1,000.
The temple showcases distinct seasonal beauty, with cherry blossoms in spring and vibrant maple leaves in autumn. A bamboo forest path behind the temple leads to a cemetery, offering a serene and tranquil space for reflection. During the autumn foliage season, the maple trees surrounding Saiin Kawara display stunning colors.
Address: 17 Adashinocho, Sagatoriimoto, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, located in the outskirts of Arashiyama near the Atago Ancient Path.
Access: From Kyoto Station, take the JR Sagano Line to Saga-Arashiyama Station, then walk approximately 20 minutes or take a taxi (around ¥1,000).
Kanno Nenbutsu-ji Temple is a famous temple and shrine in Kyoto. It is worth riding a bike for 20 minutes from the train station. There are many European and American tourists. The journey was tiring and I was not very interested at the time. My friends unanimously recommended this place. I didn't expect that after coming here, my whole body and mind would be refreshed.
Huayenian Buddhist Temple is one of the four seconds in the north of Lanshan Mountain. It is situated in a quiet mountain. It has a bamboo path leading to the back of the temple. It is slightly gloomy. There are too many graves and many mossy stone statues.
Huayenian Buddhist Temple, the deepest part of Lanshan Mountain, is also a red leaf resort. Lanshan has been to Lanshan three times before, each time from the Tianlong Temple, after walking to the two courtyards, physical strength and interest have been almost exhausted, resulting in laziness to continue walking 1 kilometre to Huayenian Buddhist Temple. This time, we went there first in reverse. Waiting to see the scenery of Huaye Nianyan Buddhist Temple, I suddenly felt that I had missed a hundred million yuan before! The most beautiful red leaves in Lanshan were originally here! This is a huge cemetery. In ancient times, it was like a mass grave, where the bodies of the lonely soul without owner were discarded and allowed to be weathered or eaten by wild animals. Later, more than 1,000 years ago, Master Kanghai made great contributions to the death. When the Meiji period, there were many unearthed bones, so eight thousand stone towers were erected to support them. Each stone pagoda represents a dead soul, so it has such a spectacular scene today. Eight thousand stone pagoda gathering place, also known as Xiyuan Heyuan, is legendary located on the Bank of the Three Ways to Hell. After the temple was built, other cemeteries gradually moved in. At first glance, the weathered stone pagoda looks like a skeleton with white bones, but on top of the dead silence, the red leaves look like fire, forming an extreme contrast. There is also a bamboo forest deep in the Nianfo Temple. In fact, the picture of Lanshan bamboo forest published on the cover of the famous Lonely Planet is not the picture of Tianlong Temple, but the Buddhist Temple here. Because even in the peak season, there are few people here, so it is more suitable to take photos, not to take a large number of people.
There are two things in this temple. One is a stone statue and the other is a tomb. Hahaha, I didn't know there were graves before I went, but I was shocked when I saw so many graves. In fact, it's all right. The six-sided Tibetan dignitaries in the highest place are beside the cemetery. It's good to see the small stone statues and feel them. There is a short bamboo road in it, which is not inferior to the famous wild bamboo forest.
It is a monastery in the depths of Eye. It's not far from Dajue Temple. It's interesting to walk all the way. It's about 12 minutes away. When you see the charge, you have to go in... Tickets in Japan are really inexpensive, but the attractions are small and there are many attractions.