Kyoto #22: 西本願寺【Nishi Hongan-Ji Temple】

Gorgeous and Magnificent temple
Nishi Hongan-Ji in Kyoto.

Hongan-Ji Temple consists of two major temples, Nishi (West) Hongan-Ji and Higashi (East) Hongan-Ji in Kyoto. It takes 10~15 minutes from Kyoto station to them. In addition, people can visit both with ease by walk just for 10 minutes. Everything is gorgeous with gold and luxury space inside!!

 

Nishi Hongan-Ji

Nishi Honganji is one of the most famous shrines and temples in the ancient city of Kyoto, and the most popular highlight is the buildings designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties, as well as its stunning interior decoration. It is a World Heritage Site and some places are closed to public, but there are still plenty to see!

What an Awesome Gates…
The most fancy gate “Kara-mon“, which is designed as National Treasure of Japan, is worth seeing in person. Unfortunately, it’s still under construction to repair now….(2018.6~2022.3). Then please look up the date to the end of repair of this gate, and go to see it!! In addition, there are also famous and fabulous gates named Goeido-mon gate and Amidado-mon gate.
Kara-mon gate
(Cited from HP of Hongan-Ji temple: http://www.hongwanji.or.jp/hongwanji/guide01.html#ken03)
Goeido-mon gate

Amidado-mon gate

 

Large and Great Main Halls…
Passing through these gates, traditional large buildings jump into your eyes. They are such powerful buildings that you can’t say anything. Goeido hall and Amidado hall are masterpiece. People’ll be overwhelmed by its scale and appearance at the first sight.

Goeido hall

Amidado hall

 

Gorgeous and relax space…
When people get into Goeido hall, they’ll be overwhelmed again. Inside…people can feel like coming back to the old day. Its floor consists of 441 tatami and 227 pillars, and also 1,200 people can be inside there. Everything is colored with GOLD and makes us overwhelmed!! And also people can sit down and stay there as long as they want, so there are some people to take a rest in that hall while watching that gold statue.

Goeido hall

 

Then you walk toward the front of it, Shinran Shonin is enshrined in the middle of the front. It’s such a magnificent and gorgeous that you can’t put it into words.

Interior decoration

The statue of Shinran Shonin

 

Traditional Wooden Architectures…
After you enjoy looking at it until you’re satisfied, then you walk through the corridor toward Amidado hall. That appearance and smell of wood is also nice. It’s built-in 1760. Unfortunately, it’s also under repairing construction until 2022.

The corridor toward Amidado hall

 

Lastly…
This time, we have introduced Nishi Hongan-Ji in Kyoto. When you come to Kyoto, you should visit there to see traditional architectures and sculptures. You can experience awesome atmosphere there.

Go-To-Index

Sightseeing Kyoto#1: 清水寺【Kiyomizu-Dera Temple】 Kyoto#2: 高台寺【Kodai-Ji Temple】 Kyoto#3: 金閣寺【Kinkaku-Ji […]

 


・ Open: 5:30-17:00

・Admission Fee: Free

・HP URL(Japanese): https://www.hongwanji.kyoto

・Map: