Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

This temple is a must visit. Entrance fee is 500 Yen and you can take the bus to go here. The bus is crowded and has quite long intervals so you have to wait. Using taxi is also a good option because it’s just around 1.500 Yen and you can divide it with your friend😄 The temple has such a unique signature that you cannot find in other temple. The moment you enter, you will immediately say wow!! The Japanese truly preserve their heritage well and it shows in here. They let the statues to be grown by moss to let the history stands. It also says that you will be reminded of someone when you see one of these statues. It’s a fun way to look closely to each statue😊 This temple is small so you can spend just 20 minutes here and explore Arashiyama after this

Absolutely a must visit. 500 yen entrance fee. There are thousands of statues that are covered in moss with some quite humorous. There are many stairs here to climb . While no longer an off the beaten track location, it is very much worthwhile. A taxi from central Kyoto is much more efficient than the bus which is very crowded and takes about an hour. The taxi ride is about 30 minutes and about 5000 yen.

After a few days in Japan and having visited some other temples, I have to say this one is quite peculiar and unique. It’s easy to walk to the temple from the bamboo forest or train station, or you can take a bus/taxi. There are some ramps and steps there and it can be a little bit slippery if it has rained. At first glance, most of the statues seem similar but if you look closely, there are a lot of different and interesting ones. Everything was very clean and well kept. It’s 500 yen to enter.

If you have the time to venture to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple while in Kyoto, I would highly recommend visiting. Although a smaller temple, it is so charming and full of good energy. I would definitely stop here again. Tip: avoid September when it is still quite hot and humid.

A shrine that is definitely worth visiting. The statues covered in moss are something truly special, and almost can make you feel like you are in Spirited Away haha It is also quite relaxing, however I would recommend coming in the morning if you'd like a full experience… the crowds take away some of the shrine’s charm (that's why one down)

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple was definitely worth the visit and made a great addition to a day trip in the Arashiyama area. The entry fee is 500 yen per person, and while the temple itself is fairly small with quite a few steps to climb, the thousands of quirky, expressive head statues make it absolutely unique and memorable. I recommend taking a cab from central Arashiyama to the temple, as the bus tends to be very crowded and less convenient. The only downside was that the toilets were not well maintained and quite dirty. Overall, a charming and distinctive temple that’s worth the detour. I definitely recommend visiting if you’re already in Arashiyama.

After leaving Adashino Nenbutsuji around 9:30 am, I walked about 10 minutes further and reached Otagi Nenbutsuji. The temple is full of these quirky stone statues with each of its own expression. Some looked like they were laughing, others almost cartoonish which made the place diffetent from the usual temples. It wasn't crowded so I could wander slowly. Entrance was ¥500.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is one of Kyoto’s most whimsical and underrated treasures. Tucked away in the quiet hills of Arashiyama, this temple is home to over 1,200 stone Rakan statues – each one carved with a different facial expression and personality. Some are smiling, others praying, some even laughing or pulling silly faces. Walking among them feels like being surrounded by a crowd of joyful, peaceful souls frozen in stone. The moss-covered statues, forested surroundings, and quiet atmosphere give the place a magical, almost otherworldly vibe. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but absolutely worth the detour for those seeking something truly unique and soulful.

OTAGI NENBUTSUJI TEMPLE I think this temple is super underrated!!! I'm not sure if it's because it's slightly more out of the way than some other things, but I thought it was seriously a cool place! It has a bunch of stone heads in all different sizes, all around, and that was a lot of fun to see and just wander around looking at them all. In a sea of stone heads, it felt a little like I was playing some strange version of "Where's Waldo". Aside from that interesting element, I found this to be one of the most peaceful locations I visited in my entire trip. I'm not sure if it was the day I was there, the time, or if it's truly always like that, but I really felt at peace. I remember the temple also had some places where you could pray for different things. Like you would go to one little temple and could pray for success, and then go to another and that one would be for like health, and so on.

"And...Love, true love, will follow you forever" - The Princess Bride What is love? It's not only about people, but our beautiful world around us. To me, the purest form of love is waking up each day and loving life itself. As a resident of Kyoto Prefecture, I've visited all the major temples, shrines, historical landmarks, from the architecture of Gion to sipping matcha on the Uji river. I've done it all! Yet, I've never pilgrimaged to the temple of the 1,200 disciples of Buddha until now. Amazing! Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple is hidden on a lush mountain side of Ukyō-ku ward, Arashiyama. Due to its location it is overlooked by many, except for the curious, more adventurous, and pilgrimages. This historic Buddhist Temple was founded in Gion, circa 766 by Empress Shōtoku, however due to natural disasters and misfortunes, it was on the brink of being forgotten and left on the back pages of old books. Fortunately it survived the ravishes of time, relocated several times, and today has a collection of 1,200 unique and whimsical Raken statues, each carved by hand. You will find the expected praying statues to the supernatural. What separates this Buddhist Temple from the rest are the statues of the modern ladies to the kitten, the samurai to the tennis player, the geisha to the boxer, the tourist holding a camera! It's endless and so endearing. Due to the logistics it is rarely visited by the average Kyōtō tourist, except those who are willing to trek outside the more popular areas. To me, this tranquil, small temple, filled with quirkiness and pure love was the most joyful experience of all my pilgrimages across Japan. People come and go, however Otagi Nenbutsu-ji will outlive us all. A place dear to my heart and one might say I felt a sense of belonging. 愛 Pls follow my IG adventures: @eric_travel_guru

We took a bus here from Arashiyama station. It took less than 20 mins. The return bus however was scheduled every hour and we finished exploring this temple in under 30 mins. So rather than waiting another 30 minutes we just Uber'd back. We went in October and some of the statues had more moss than others. Bring some small change to place on them for luck or wishing. They look so cute. Each one was unique. No two were the same. It's very peaceful and quiet.

Another gorgeous temple and walking grounds. This was our favorite temple and some really beautiful and historic statues. Certainly not to be missed in Arashiyama area.

Pretty awesome experience that's really quiet, serene, and away from all the noise. We took a bus from Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and it was about a 10 minute ride. 1500 mini buddhas that were created by people, and more and more will be put up.

Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple: If there was an award for the quirkiest temple in Kyoto, this here is the winnah, no doubt about it. Sure, there are more unequivocally gorgeous sights, the usual suspects like Kinkaku-ji or Kiyomizu-dera, but this one is definitely worth a journey to the far end of the scenic Arashiyama district deep into the lush green hills. Why? It's the sight of 1,200 stone sculptures of rakan (photo: http://bit.ly/1OzfMvZ). They are meant to represent Buddha's disciples, and at first glance, you think they all look the same. Then you start to realize each one has a different personality, some quite comical like this tennis player (photo: http://bit.ly/1mF5ob3). Most are covered with a spread of moss that actually makes them look like they have hair. Even though the temple itself dates back the 8th century, the stone statues were carved and donated between 1981 and 1991 when individual worshippers celebrated the survival of the temple through all the typhoons, floods and civil war that ravaged the grounds. There's a main hall where you can see a thousand-armed Kannon statue, figuratively speaking of course. Jamie W. and I were lucky since our guide Hiro took us here and knew everything about this place. Otherwise you can take a local bus to the 'Otagi dera mae' stop from the Saga-Arashiyama station. Admission is just ￥300.

If you're looking for a unique temple sans the crowd, this is the place. Otagi Nenbutsuji is a 30 minute walk from the bamboo forest but totally worth it! Although 30 minutes sounds like a long time, it's actually not when you're walking through the forest and super cute and traditional Japanese homes. You *can* take the bus here but we waited for the bus for 20 minutes and it never came! I'm guessing traffic is so bad that it was way behind so we decided to just walk instead. We could have saved time and just walked from the get-go. wah! This is a small temple with tons of Buddha statues, each with their own facial expressions. It was so cool to be here and enjoy the scenery because there was pretty much no one else here except for one other couple. Entrance fee is 300 yen. HOW TO GET THERE: If you have a JR Pass, your stop will be at Saga-Arashiyama Station. Take the station's SOUTH exit & turn right to get onto a pedestrian walkway. At the end of it, cross the street and continue straight. Walk to the road's end, turn left, then the bus stop will be on your right. If you want to take the bus, take Bus 62, 72, 92, or 94 (Kiyotaki direction 清滝行) to OTAGI-DERA MAE (愛宕寺前) stop. [9 stops; 12 min; ¥230- No JR]. Board bus from the rear, exit from front. If walking, take the walkway right next to the bus stop (you'll see a bunch of people going that way so just follow them) and you'll walk into the bamboo forest. From here, I would recommend that you use google maps/GPS to find the place because it can get confusing and you may get lost. When you see a huge red torii gate on your left after passing a bunch of homes, you'll know that your minutes away. The temple will be on your left.

Love this little gem of a temple. Off the beaten path, and quiet. The moss-covered stone people are the highlight. Each one is different. Find your favorite!

Otagi Nenbutsuji is a neat little temple in the northern part of Sagano. I'd recommend biking there if you can. This place had cool little monk statues. Some might think they're pretty cute.

This was one of my favourite temples in Arashiyama and possibly all of Kyoto. Otagi nenbutsuji is at the end of a little country road not far from another temple with a similar name so be careful you don't end up in Adashino nenbutsuji instead. Otagi has hundreds of small Buddha sculptures, each one slightly different from the next. They are very cute. It's a lovely temple and well worth visiting as it is off the beaten track and not as visited as some of the better known temples.