Temples in Japan

Discover 78 unusual temples in Japan.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Twelve hundred stone carvings guard this off-the-beaten-path Buddhist temple.

Izumo-shi, Japan

Izumo-Taisha

What's believed to be the country's first shrine is, in Shintō mythology, the annual meeting place of the gods.

Grave of Jun’ichirō Tanizaki.

Hōnen-in Temple

The cemetery houses the remains of Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, one of Japan's most famous novelists.

Parents of deceased children place colorful "bibs" on Jizo statues to show their gratitude for his protection in the afterlife.

Kiyomizu-Dera Temple

A shrine contains nearly 200 statues of the Buddhist deity Jizo, dressed in bibs by parents who have lost a child.

Tanuki figurines.

Tatebayashi-shi, Japan

Morin-ji Temple

This temple is steeped in local folklore involving a teakettle and a raccoon dog.

Gotokuji Temple

The legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko is dotted with hundreds of lucky beckoning cats.

A large daruma rests easy having fulfilled its purpose

Takasaki, Japan

Shorinzan Darumaji Temple

Each year this Japanese temple overflows with scowling, bearded good luck talismans.

Hair Rope of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple

Hair Rope of Higashi Hongan-ji Temple

When this massive wooden temple ran out of rope, they made one out of devotees' hair.

Sengaku-Ji

Sengaku-Ji

This Buddhist temple is home to the graves of the Japanese national legends, the 47 Ronin.

Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamondo

Hiraizumi, Japan

Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamondo

Founded over a thousand years ago, this shrine is said to be built on the site of a warlord's harem prison.

Ryōan-ji

The quintessential Japanese rock garden has existed for more than 500 years.

Yamagata, Japan

Yamadera Temple Complex

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.

Fukusai-ji Temple

Nagasaki, Japan

Fukusai-ji Temple

The giant figure on the back of this turtle-shaped temple actually hides a memorial pendulum.

Nagano's Darkroom

Nagano's Darkroom

This ancient temple is set up to take you on a pilgrimage of self.

Tsuruoka, Japan

Sokushinbutsu of Dainichibou Temple

The self-mummified monks of Japan.

Sanjūsangen-dō

1,001 carved statues of the Buddhist God of Mercy, each with a unique face.