Kyoto’s hidden gem: Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple guide
The Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in Arashiyama Kyoto is an absolute hidden gem and shouldn’t be missed! Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is visually stunning buddhist temple and unusual and definitely worth a visit if you’re in Kyoto. It has a really unusual formation of stone pillars dedicated to the dead!
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is actually a cemetery, and each one of the stone monuments represent a loved one. What’s striking about this temple is the unique formation of the cemetery stone heads. It also has a quiet stretch of bamboo forest that is almost completely empty and is perfect to take pictures.
It is right next to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, only a short 10 minute walk away and next to the authentic Japanese village of Saga Toriimoto which is an absolute must, so why not visit all 3-4 attractions in the area.
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary.
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic Kyoto itinerary and plenty of activities for you to discover! If you’re wondering if or why you should visit Japan, have a look at this guide that will give you the full low down!
Best tours in Japan:
| Don’t miss some of the best tours in Kyoto, whether you’re after some adventure or a serene escape, there’s something for you. Ninja experience – if you’re after adrenaline adventure, this is for you! Kyoto Traditional Tea Ceremony – for an authentic Japanese experience Kyoto Bamboo forest – the most scenic views around Kyoto! Kyoto Private tour – for a serene escape, have a look at this tour. |
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| Here’s everything I use when I travel abroad: Tours – Compare tour prices on Viator and Get Your Guide Hotels – I always use Booking as the more hotels I book, I get a higher Genius discount. I also compare prices on Expedia. E-Sims – purchase an e-sim with Airalo on your phone so you can make calls and have mobile data abroad! There’s no need to remove your current sim card! Travel insurance – don’t ever go on vacation without travel insurance, you never know when you might need it! Travel essentials – have a look at a full list of travel essentials that I use, including the best power bank! |
Adashino Nenbutsuji temple Kyoto
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple was originally established as a cemetery; a place to commemorate the souls of loved ones and not-so-loved-ones, particularly those who had no one to pray for them, which is a lovely sentiment either way.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is an unusual cemetery just outside of Kyoto and is known for its unusual and unique formation of headstones-come-stone-statues. It sounds a little macabre, but it’s honestly worth a pitstop here. It is visually stunning and unusual and definitely worth a visit. It is right next to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, only a short 10 minute walk and next to the authentic Japanese village of Saga Toriimoto which is an absolute must.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple is actually a cemetery, and each one of the stones represent a loved one. What’s striking about this temple is the unique formation of the cemetery stone heads. Each stone head is meant to represent a life and they are spread throughout the temple grounds. It also has a unique stretch of bamboo forest that is almost completely empty and a great place to take a quick picture or two.
There are around 8,000 stone statues and pagodas are thought to honour the spirits of individuals who passed away without family ties, including many who passed away during the journey to the revered Mount Atago located to the temple’s western side. The region alongside Sanzunokawa (the River Styx), known as Sainokawara (stream of spirits), is traditionally regarded as the boundary between the living and the dead.
These numerous spirits found their ultimate sanctuary and are revered annually on the 23rd and 24th of August during a memorial ritual known as Sentō Kuyo. Over the course of two evenings, as a monk recites sacred verses, more than a thousand lanterns (Sentō) cast a gentle glow upon the stone sculptures. Already unique in daylight, during the ceremony, the temple looks like it is truly a passageway between the living and the dead.
If you’re in the neighbourhood, dont miss…
There’s plenty to do in this neighbourhood, so don’t miss these incredible little gems!
It’s just outside the traditional Japanese village of Saga Toriimoto, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (famous for all the IG pictures!), and Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple. The Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple with over 1200 unique and individual statues. It’s unusual and unique and can’t be missed!
There are plenty of day tours you can do around this neighbourhood, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
Pictures below of the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple which is just 10 minutes away.
There are plenty of day tours you can do around this neighbourhood, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
Japanese Prayers
I was taught about Japanese prayers or signs of respect when visiting temples by some locals; there are plenty of people that go to visit a buddha shrine Japan or buddha statue in Japan.n
Firstly, you are encouraged to toss a Japanese coin that is either 5 or, if you’re generous, 50 into the offering box. The reason behind this is because the Japanese word for 5 or 50 sounds similar to the words for good luck!
- 5-Yen Coin (Go-en): The 5-yen coin is known as “go-en” in Japanese, which, according to our tour guide, apparently sounds similar to the word for “good luck” or “good destiny.” This means that many people choose to make offerings with the 5-yen coin when praying and making wishes at shrines and temples in the hopes of garnering a little more good luck. If they’re not placing a 5 yen coin on a statue, you will also likely see people toss a 5-yen coin into an offering box (saisen-bako) and then clap their hands together twice to get the attention of the deities and make their prayer or wish.
- 50-Yen Coin (Gojū-en): The 50-yen coin is called “gojū-en” in Japanese which similarly to the 5 yen offering, sounds similar to the phrase of good luck, however this is said to be a more generous offering! Apparently, it’s less commonly used than the 5-yen coin for offerings and said to be used for more significant offerings.
- After throwing the coin, the Japanese tradition is to clap twice, then to bow twice. When I asked our PR why this was the case, he wasn’t actually sure so I’ve looked this up on Google for you!
- Clapping twice is meant to get the Deities’ & spirits’ attention and others say that clapping is a cleansing ritual, meaning that when you clap twice you rid yourself of negative energy and negative thoughts.
Nembutsu Definition
Nembutsu (念仏) is used in Japanese Buddhism, particularly in the Pure Land Buddhism tradition. I was told by our guide that it basically refers to the practice of spiritual awakening & enlightenment – followers recite the name of a Buddha in a mindful and meditative state.
There’s also a lot of information about rakan buddhism that you can read about when visiting these temples!
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple Tours
There are plenty of day tours you can do around the area, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
There’s plenty to do in this neighbourhood, so don’t miss these incredible little gems!
It’s just outside the traditional Japanese village of Saga Toriimoto, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (famous for all the IG pictures!), and Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple. The Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple with over 1200 unique and individual statues. It’s unusual and unique and can’t be missed!
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple Opening times
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple opens at 8am and closes at 4.30pm. Tour buses might arrive during the day at around 10 onwards, but generally I found this temple to be fairly quiet no matter the time of day.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple Entrance Feen
It costs only 500 Yen per person (2.50 GBP or 3 USD per person). It is definitely not going to break the bank!
You cannot pay by card at Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, so make sure you have cash on you, and ideally, some change. You must purchase your tickets through the little machine there, which accepts 100 yen coins or 1000 yen notes. The guide does speak a little English in case you need to ask a few question, but you might need to download the google translate app for any in depth questions.
How to get to Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple?
There’s a few ways. If you’re not getting a tour, you can choose to get public transport with a Japan rail pass or drive. We drove, but head from Kyoto Station to Arashiyama station, and it’s 45 minutes leisurely walking. The walk actually isn’t that bad, you walk through the incredible traditional village, but if you want to go straight there, get the bus. You can also get the bus from Arashiyama area station – get the 9 2 bus from Nonomiya to Otagidera Mae bus stop.
In short:
Get the metro to Arashiyama station
At Arashiyama, get the 9 2 bus to Otagidera Mae.
There are plenty of day tours you can do around this neighbourhood, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple Map
It’s located in one of the suburbs just outside Tokyo called Arashiyama! Save the location for Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple to your google maps so you can come back to it later.
What is the best time of day to visit?
I personally thought I would have to arrive very early in the morning to be able to photograph Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple without a lot of people, but it’s actually a fairly quiet temple unless you’re visiting during a festival.
You can go at any time of the day and it probably won’t be too busy. After 9am or 10am, there were certainly people around, but it was by no means busy.
There are plenty of day tours you can do around the area, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
Best time of year to visit?
We visited Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple in September and, although it was technically autumn, it was extremely hot, reaching highs of 36 degrees celsius during the day.
The best time of year to visit is usually spring or late autumn when the autumn leaves are falling or the cherry blossoms are in bloom, but winter is said to be good too, as all the statues get covered with a sprinkling of snow.
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
Kyoto Weather
This incredible temple looks different and unusual throughout different times of the year, autumn is meant to be beautiful and in the snow the statues and buildings have an even more whimsical look!
Kyoto Weather in January:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 2-7°C (36-45°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 12
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 10 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 7:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM
Kyoto Weather in February:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 3-8°C (37-46°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 12
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:45 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:15 PM
Kyoto Weather in March:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 7-13°C (45-55°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 12
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:30 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:45 PM
Kyoto Weather in April:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 12-19°C (54-66°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 11
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:15 PM
Kyoto Weather in May:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 17-24°C (63-75°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 13
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:30 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:30 PM
Kyoto Weather in June:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 21-29°C (70-84°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 15
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:45 PM
Kyoto Weather in July:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 24-32°C (75-90°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 17
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:15 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 7:00 PM
Kyoto Weather in August:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 26-34°C (79-93°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 14
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:30 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:45 PM
Kyoto Weather in September:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 22-30°C (72-86°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 14
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 5:45 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 6:15 PM
Kyoto Weather in October:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 15-23°C (59-73°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 8
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:00 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:30 PM
Kyoto Weather in November:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 9-16°C (48-61°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 9
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 10 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:15 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM
Kyoto Weather in December:
- Average Temperature (Celsius): 3-9°C (37-48°F)
- Number of Rainy Days: 10
- Daylight Hours: Approximately 9 hours
- Sunrise Time: Around 6:45 AM
- Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM
There are plenty of day tours you can do around the area, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
Travel resources for your trip that are actually really handy!
There are plenty of day tours you can do around this neighbourhood, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide. There are plenty of tours that will combine a visit to Kiyomizu-Dera temple, the bamboo forest, Tenryuji temple, Jojakkoji temple, Otagi Nenbutsu ji temple Kyoto, Daikakuji temple and more!
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here or have a look at:
That’s it! I hope you have an amazing time in Japan, it is truly an incredible country and I honestly can’t wait to go back. I will of course, be back with more guides.
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