Rin’nōji Houmotsuden treasure house

The treasure hall displays portraits of shoguns from the first through subsequent generations, along with period artifacts that provide historical context. However, as a foreigner, I found the Japanese garden (Shoyo-en) behind the treasure hall far more captivating and beautiful than the indoor exhibits themselves. If you already bought the 3-attraction combo ticket from Rinnoji, it’s worth a quick stop, but I wouldn’t recommend purchasing a separate ticket just for this. The garden is lovely and peaceful, but the treasure hall itself doesn’t offer enough compelling content to justify a standalone visit unless you’re particularly interested in Tokugawa history and artifacts.

Don't waste your money on a ticket if you are not coming in a group. You are barred from seeing the gods in the front of the temple, the most grand and presumably most important display in the temple. Do you pay less for an individual ticket? Nope. Then why discriminate like this.

Nikkosan Rinnoji’s Homotsuden is next to the Sanbutsudo. This building houses approximately 30,000 temple treasures that represent Nikkozan’s more than 1,200-year history and the building contains many National Treasures, important cultural properties, and important works of art. In addition to the approximately 50 pieces that are always on display, visitors can also see paintings related to the Tokugawa family

The treasure house is located opposite the main hall of the Rinnoji Temple. You need to pay an entrance fee. We decided to buy combined tickets, which include the main hall, the treasure house&garden, and the Taiyuin Mausoleum. It is a bit cheaper than buying them separately. Photography is not allowed inside the house. There are several antique artworks related to Buddhism and the Tokugawa era displayed inside. The portraits of all the shoguns in the Tokugawa family are exhibited there. It is nice to sit quietly and see those portraits, imagining their feelings and responsibilities as shoguns in their time. Don't miss the garden located behind the house. The garden is small but beautiful, with a pleasant landscape, good design, and it's not too crowded. It must be a wonderful place during autumn when color of leaves change..

There is a petit japanese garden just in front and its beatiful. The surroundings are also really enjoyable but in comparison the insides of this temple are not as interesting visually or as an expirience. When you go to the other temples first they offer you the ticket of this particular temple as a set and is not expensive, but except that you have some knollege about budism it probably won't be as interesting.

I didn't get to enter, no time. Very well maintained. The colors really stand out. If you're going to visit the Nikko shrine compound area, better go early. The place is always packed with both locals and tourists. There's a tree outside Rennoji that they say has never bloomed in 400 (or was it 200) years. Tickets for the Toshogu shrine and museum complex does not cover the museum at the foot of the Rennoji house. If we had time, it would've been nice to stay for an hour or so, but the train and shinkansen ride back to Tokyo takes a while. The World Heritage Bus route goes around the entire Grand Shrine complex, down to the Nikko train station.

I visited in mid November. Fantastic

One of the best Japanese gardens in the area. Well worth a visit.