Katsuoji

Really worth the visit! There is a bus that goes directly from the station to the temple. It is very convenient. Just make sure to go early. A lot of people line up for the bus, and if you miss the last one, you might have to take a taxi, which is expensive. I recommend visiting in the morning. It is less crowded and you can enjoy the temple more.

The daruma here was simply too cute, which is what made me want to visit. Last entrance is at 4.30pm. We arrived slightly after 4pm and had to rush through towards the end of the route. So I would suggest allowing at least 1.5 hours next time. The temple is very well maintained and the signage is clear. The sight of daruma dolls everywhere is just too cute. Don’t forget to collect the stamp, it turns into a lovely postcard. There is paid parking both indoor and outdoor, and a free parking lot about 300 meters from the entrance.

I recommend this place to everyone that’s going to Japan! It’s so much fun. A bit touristy in the way it is set up, but because of it very accommodating to foreigners. There is a 500 yen admission fee. But you get a cute post card for it in return that you can stamp.

This was a very beautiful temple and it was fun to see all the daruma everywhere. You can buy some to add or take home or both. You have to hike up a little in the temple before, but it’s worth it to see the beautiful views. They accept both cash and card When you get off at the train station, you can take a direct bus to the temple. It is 800 yen both ways and they do jam pack you into the bus. If this isn’t something you want, you can take a taxi. While waiting for the bus you can scan a QR code and buy tickets for the temple or you can buy them at the temple itself. With the ticket, comes a cute postcard you can stamp along the way through the temple and build a picture. The other downside is if you are staying in central Osaka it is kinda of journey to get to the temple but I think it’s totally worth the trip.

Taking my time to review this place, hopefully this is helpful for you to decide if you should spent your time here. Myself love this place a lot, and would recommend who has no tight schedule to come to chill and explore. I came with my 5 years old with train and then bus. The journey took me 1.5 hrs, and I bought ticket online so no queue to enter the temple. This place is chilling and very relaxing. Kid is having fun looking at the little display and having fun taking photos around. The chops are very fun, like treasure hunt! The bus also more often during weekends, and staffs are very helpful.

One of my favorite temples to visit. Taking the bus there was very convenient—just be sure to plan according to the bus schedule. I really loved the meaning behind the Daruma dolls; at every corner, you’ll see people placing them. It took about an hour with several stops to explore the temple fully. I even purchased a Daruma doll and placed it in a special spot. When you buy a ticket, you receive a postcard where you can stamp at each station—such a fun and interactive way to explore the temple. The souvenir shop is small and has just a few items, but overall, it’s a wonderful place to visit. Highly recommend!

I had a wonderful time visiting Katsuo-ji Temple, tucked away in the peaceful mountains about an hour from Osaka. The temple is most famous for its incredible display of Daruma dolls, each symbolizing determination and wishes for success. The atmosphere was serene early in the day, but it started to get busy not long after, so I recommend arriving in the morning to enjoy it in peace. Everyone I encountered was very kind, and the temple grounds were beautifully maintained. A truly special and spiritual experience, definitely worth the visit! Ps: make sure you bring a hat or umbrella during summer! It gets extremely hot and it has limited shade 😮‍💨

Hands down our best temple experience in Japan. We went early (8am) and had the entire temple to ourselves. We loved how interactive this temple experience was- you go through the visitors route stopping at stamps along the way that help you create your own Daruma take home artwork. The gardens were all in bloom and pristinely kept. The staff were friendly and offered to take our pictures- there are multiple unique photo opps. The mountain scenery is gorgeous and the koi pond is teeming with colourful fish. The icing on the cake is the thousands of Daruma dolls everywhere that make this temple feel somewhere in between a holy site and an art installation. Go early, skip the bus and take a taxi from Minoh Kayana station- almost the same price anyway!

A MUST see when visiting Japan, specifically Osaka. An easy train ride from Osaka Namba station - no platform changes - Katsuoji temple is truly a gem. Note : the cheapest way to get to the temple is taking the local bus that goes straight to the temple. The roads from the train station to the temple are long and uphill. You will either want to take a bus or taxi. The bus only has a few trips a day to the temple so you may be waiting a while. We waited about 2 hours for the next bus. It was so worth it. The temple grounds are extremely peaceful and we were lucky that it wasn't crowded at all. The daruma were all over the grounds and it was beautiful. Highly recommend!

Finally arrived here after 6 hours of hiking. It's located in a beautiful place, surrounded by the mountains in Minoo but one of it's highlight is the different sizes of Daruma Dolls scattered everywhere. These Daruma dolls are also being sold in different sizes at the top of the temple, the omiyage shop are not selling it. The shop also had nice view of the temple ground , have a matcha and relax :)

A hidden gem and glad we made the trip. My teenage kids were happy to get some daruma dolls home. The temple is a little out of the way and remember to check the last bus 29 which ends at 4:30 pm each day.