The amazingly quirky Otagi Nenbutsuji temple in Kyoto
The Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple in Arashiyama Kyoto is an absolute hidden gem and absolutely should not be missed when visiting Kyoto. It’s a buddhist temple packed full of 1200 unique statues, each statue carved with different whimsical faces. You’ll be able to spot faces full of laughter, serenity, aggression, peacefulness.. you name it! Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is one of the famous Japanese Buddha temples that you simply can’t miss!
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
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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Apparently each statue was carved by different visitors to Otgagi Nenbutsuji temple! Each face is uniquely carved as each sculptor was different and it’s definitely a lot of fun to walk around peering into the faces of each unusual expression- these are called rakan statues in Japan. Kyoto Japan is full of hidden gems, and this is absolutely one of them!
I can’t quite work out why the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is not more popular. Perhaps it’s just one of those hidden gems that is still relatively unknown, but it is gaining more and more traction on social media. Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is just outside Kyoto, this temple is only a 20 minute drive outside the city centre but it’s definitely well worth a visit. There is a serene stream running through the centre of the the temple grounds and you can watch the staff collect water to use in the temples.
Here is your full travel guide for everything you need to know, travel tips, hidden gems and things nearby that you can’t miss! Highly recommended!
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
Otagi Nenbutsuji temple Kyoto
Otagi Nenbutsu temple is a funky little temple just 20 minutes from the centre of Kyoto and is 100% worth a visit for something truly unusual and spectacular.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is home to over 1200 unusual carvings of individuals, which are each meant to represent different spiritual buddhas or buddhas disciples. The sculpture was a buddhist priest Kocho Nishimura.
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
Kocho Nishimura was a priest AND sculptor of Buddhist statues at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple.
He apparently loved the idea of having visitors carve their own statues for Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple which is a great experience for anyone visiting. These statues represent Buddha’s disciples and were added to the temple mostly during the 1980s and are now whimsically covered with moss giving it that ethereal look and aged effect.
Each statue was carved by a different person under Kocho Nishimura’s guidance, so consequently, each one at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple is completely unique. I personally love the fun, whacky expressions many of them have, and spent ages wandering around Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple.
There are a number of different buildings inside the temple itself, with areas to pray, light incense and of course, toss a coin into the offering box (saisen-bako), pay respects and wish for good fortune.
If you’re in the neighbourhood, dont miss…
There’s plenty to do in this neighbourhood at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, 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 Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple also has a small bamboo forest that is completely empty, and were able to take plenty of pictures without any issues!n
There are plenty of day tours you can do around this neighbourhood, I always compare prices on Viator and Get Your Guide.
The Sculptor of Otagi Nenbutsu ji temple
The sculptures at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple were carved by Kocho Nishimura who also founded the temple itself! Kocho Nishimura was a Buddhist priest and a sculptor who dedicated his life to sculpting, and encouraging temple visitors to sculpt, creating the thousands of small stone sculptures around the temple grounds – in fact, it’s a little over 1200 sculptures.
These sculptures are known as “rakan” statues and represent the different disciples of Buddha. Each of these unique statues is carved with a different religious figure in mind and looking at how different they all are is a great way to spend your afternoon; it’s pretty neat!
It is also said that these statues offer protection and blessings to those who visit and pay their respects at the temples where they are enshrined – I placed a a coin on the happiest statue I could find!
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
The individual statues at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
Each carving at Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple represents a religious icon or a buddha, and they are each unique and express differing emotions. They were all created by different visitors to the temple, so they are all super unique!
It’s rare because it’s one of the only temples where the statues each have a unique expression, and there is a total of 1200 unique expressions. Some are praying, some are laughing, some are smiling. Each one is a unique work of art, and I loved wandering around looking at each one.
Keep a look out for some of the more unique expressive sculptures. See if you can spot any of the below statues amongst the temple’s hidden depths.
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.
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, and used in the name Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple. 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!
Otagi 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 Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple also has a small bamboo grove that is completely empty, and were able to take plenty of pictures without any issues!
Opening times
Otagi 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.
How much does it cost?
The Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple entrance fee costs only 300 Yen per person (1.50 GBP or 1.80 USD per person). It is definitely not going to break the bank! Pay by cash, I am not sure if they accept card.
How to get to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple?
There’s a few ways to get to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple. If you’re not getting a tour, you can choose to get public transport or drive. We drove, but head from Kyoto Station to Arashiyama station, and it’s 52 minutes leisurely walking. The walk actually isn’t that bad, you walk through the incredible traditional villages, but if you want to go straight there, get the bus. You can also get the bus from Arashiyama 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.
Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple Map
It’s located in one of the suburbs just outside Tokyo called Arashiyama! Save the location 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 the temple without a lot of people, but I don’t think that’s the case.
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 and I found it relatively easy to get pictures.
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 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, but winter is said to be good too, as all the statues get covered with a sprinkling of snow.
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, Daikakuji temple and more!
Have a look at my other Japan travel guides here for an epic 10 day Japan itinerary!
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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