Otagi Nembutsuji Temple
Otagi Nembutsuji Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto is uncrowded and has thousands of unique moss-covered statues called Rakan each carved individually.
Otagi Nembutsuji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto 愛宕念仏寺
The entrance to Otagi Nembutsuji Temple, Arashiyama, Kyoto
Arashiyama is one of the most visited areas of Kyoto. It has a wealth of tourist sites such as the World Heritage listed temple Tenryuji, the famous Togetsukyo Bridge, and, of course, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest.
Most visitors stay in the central area, close to the railway stations, where many of the attractions are clustered.
Some venture northwards along the mountain's edge where more temples, shrines, museums and cafes can be found.
About two kilometers from central Arashiyama is a very picturesque, narrow street of preserved old buildings. The street has many gifts shops and such, and here is Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, which is about as far as the vast majority of people venture. As from here the town seems to end and the narrow road heads into the forested mountains.
However, a few hundred meters up the road is one of the most enchanting and unique temples of all, Otagi Nembutsuji, a visit to which is all the more pleasant because it is almost never crowded.
One of several statues of Kannon that can be seen at Otagi Nembutsuji Temple, Arashiyama, KyotoA small selection of the 1200 unique statues of Rakan at Otagi Nembutsuji Temple
Temple Buildings
You enter through a small Niomon gate with a pair of fierce guardians, and climb a path up the hillside to the temple buildings.
It's not a big temple, and the buildings are quite small, and in no way are they grand or imposing. You quickly see what are the main attraction is here, hundreds and hundreds of small moss-covered statues, more than 1,200 of them in total.
These are statues of Rakan, Arhat in Sanskrit, and are disciples of the historical Buddha. Often they are found in groups of 500, and each one is quite individual, with different body shapes, poses, and facial expressions.
It is said that when one looks at collections of rakan statues you will always find one that reminds you of someone you know. Here at Otagi Nembutsuji you can spend hours looking at all the weird and wonderful expressions on the faces of the statues. Therefore, that is one reason why so many of the visitors here are photographers.
The statues are covered in moss, some with so much that the features of the faces are almost hidden. You might presume therefore that the statues are very old, but the surprising thing is that they are in fact quite modern. The oldest dates back only as far as the 1980's.
Covered in moss, and with each one unique, the Rakan statues at Otagi Nembutsuji are missed by most visitors to ArashiyamaMoss-covered statues at Otagi Nembutsuji Temple in Arashiyama
History
The temple itself is old, being founded in 770 in the Higashiyama area near present day Gion. Like many temples it suffered natural and man made disasters over the centuries and was moved to its current location in 1922.
Still the temple suffered from misfortune and it wasn't until 1981 that full renovations began.
The head priest at the time, Kocho Nishimura was also a sculptor, and it was his idea to have visitors carve rakan statues under his instruction. So, not only is every single statue different, they are each carved by a different person, and, they were all amateurs. Therein lies the reason for the great diversity you can see.
A Buddhist figure holding a "Walkman" gives a clue to the age of the statues at Otagi Nembutsuji Temple
Otagi Nembutsuji Access - how to get to Otagi Nembutsuji Temple
Otagi Nembutsuji (otagiji.com)
2-5 Sagatoriimoto Fukatanicho
Ukyo-ku, Kyoyo-shi, Kyoto 616 8439
Tel: 075 865 1231
Open 8 am to 5 pm.
Entry only 300 yen.
From JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, which can be reached from Kyoto Station, the temple is a 40-minute walk.
Also from Arashiyama Station on the Keifuku Line, allow 40 minutes. From Hankyu Arashiyama Station, it takes around 50 minutes to walk to the temple.
If you have been exploring Arashiyama on foot and have reached Adashino Nembutsuji Temple, then Otagi Nembutsuji is just a 10 minute walk up the hill.
However, it makes sense to start at Otagi Nembustsuji because then everything is downhill from there.
Buses 62, 72, 92 and 94 from the Nonomiya bus stop near JR Saga-Arashiyama Station heading to Kiyotaki stop in front of the temple at the Atagodera-mae bus stop.
You can also catch Bus 94 from in front of Arashiyama Station on the Keifuku Line and from Hankyu Arashiyama Station. The fare is 230 yen.
From central Arashiyama it is just a 5 minute, 1,000 yen taxi ride.
Nearby
The temple is within reasonable walking distance of Nison-in Temple, Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, Jojakko-ji Temple and Tenryuji Temple.