Temples are very famous in Japan, and if you are interested in knowing Japanese culture, visiting these temples must be on your bucket list.
You will find many Buddhist temples throughout Japan. There is a popular saying regarding temples in Japan, “virtually every Japanese municipality has at least one temple, while large cultural centers like Kyoto have several hundred.”Many temples are as old as thousand years. Structurally, most temples are similar. The sacred object like the statue of God is placed in the main hall of the temple forpublic display. There are separate lecture halls for teaching and meeting. If you are interested to know about famous temples in Japan, here’s the list of the top five temples in Japan, based on tourists’ footfalls and reviews.
Kinkakuji Temple (Kyoto), famous for the golden pavilion:
This temple was originally built in 1397. Kinkakujiis regarded as the home of a military chief or shogun. The entire building was covered with gold leaf, thus it is also known as the “Golden Pavilion”. The peaceful garden of Kinkakujiis believed to be an earthly paradise. You will get a bus service from Kyoto station to reach there.
Hokokuji Temple (Kamakura), a temple inside bambood forest:
This temple is also known as“Takedera Temple”. It is located in a bamboo forest. The surroundings provide a peaceful vibe due to delicate moss-covered carvings, along with ponds of brightly colored koi. You will get authentic Japanese matcha with sweets here. Starting from Kamakura Station you need to get off at the Jomyoji bus stop. From here, you can walk for a few minutes to go to the temple.
Todai-ji Temple (Nara), the famous large wooden temple:
This temple was built with wood.Todai-ji Temple is the largest known wooden building in the world. You will observe many statues of Buddha. They are extremely large in size, while measuring the portray, a visitor funnily mentioned that “a medium-sized human could fit through one nostril!” if you love deers then you would love this place as herds of deer roam around the site. You can go on walking or by bus from JR Nara Station.
Shitennoji Temple (Osaka), probably the oldest temple:
This is one of the oldest temples in Japan. According to historical evidence, the Shitennoji temple was built nearly 1,400 years ago. This temple is very famous for its attractive symmetrical architectural style. Shitennoji Templeis a fewminute's walk from the JR Tennoji Station.
Sanjusangendo Temple (Kyoto), famous for religious statues:
This temple is also known as “Rengeoin Temple”.Sanjusangendo temple is unique for the various religious statues inside.You will find at least 1000 “life-sized” images of the goddess Kannon in this temple. You can reach the temple by walking from Kyoto station.
So, get prepared to visit those naturally enriched beautiful religious places in Japan.
