Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple

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.

Smaller than I expected! Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple was super easy to get to. The bus options were limited, but I had already planned to walk down afterward anyway. The entrance fee was ¥500 as of March 2025. It was really pretty and calming, but definitely smaller than I thought 😅 Worth a visit, but tbh an hour here is more than enough! I went during summer and it was actually breezy, can’t imagine how cold it gets in winter 🥶

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple, nestled in Kyoto’s serene Arashiyama district, offers a tranquil and enriching experience for visitors. The temple is renowned for its collection of 1,200 stone rakan statues—representations of Buddha’s disciples—each carved with unique expressions and characteristics. These statues, created between 1981 and 1991 under the guidance of sculptor and monk Kocho Nishimura, reflect a blend of solemnity and whimsy, with some figures smiling, laughing, or holding objects that hint at the carvers’ personal interests .    The temple’s location, slightly removed from the main tourist routes, contributes to its peaceful atmosphere, allowing visitors to explore the grounds without the usual crowds. Surrounded by lush greenery and maple trees, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji provides a picturesque setting that changes with the seasons, making it a worthwhile destination year-round . In summary, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple stands out as a hidden gem in Kyoto, offering a unique combination of artistic expression, spiritual significance, and natural beauty. Its distinctive rakan statues and serene environment make it a compelling site for those seeking a deeper cultural experience away from the typical tourist paths.  

Not just another temple ⛩️, this place is famous for it’s 1000+ statues , worth a visit if you’re already in the neighbourhood ( we walked from the bamboo-forest & back). On site I reckon 1 hour (max) is needed as the place isn’t very big. At the time we visited ( 15 min before close the place was empty)

It is a little far from the subway station. It is recommended to take a taxi directly, which is time-saving and convenient. There are not many people in this area, especially Asian faces are relatively rare, so they will not be disturbed when taking photos. It is suitable for a leisurely walk or a quiet check-in to take photos!

A great add-on if you are already in the area. Steep trails available for further forest hiking. The best and quite a unique feature is the triple bells, each one with a different tonality. Felt like a quick vibration/auditory therapy to ring them one after another and stand in between.

One of my favorite temple! It’s rather small, but it’s very peaceful and in a more remote and quiet area. Note: I went during an off peak season, so I’m not sure how it is during higher tourist seasons.

A must, a hidden gem, magical place. Find your resonating Budha, I found a couple! Also, I took a taxi from saga station to here, then walked from the temple down hill through all the preserve street and saw other amazing temples. If you try to do it the otherway around, is gonna be extremely tiring and long. You will waste to much time walking round. Just an advice!

"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.