Find Buddhist Spots
A connection with a Buddha image may appear unexpectedly. Search for places that may lead you to your own My Buddha.
Yatadera Temple (Yata Jizoson)
Buddhist Image Standing Jizo Bosatsu (Daijuku Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
京都府京都市中京区天性寺前町523
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (8:00–19:00; temple grounds free)
GentlenessMysteryDepth
Yatadera in Kyoto’s Nakagyo Ward enshrines a standing Jizo Bodhisattva about two meters tall as its principal image. Temple tradition says the founder, Mankei Shonin, had the figure carved after encountering a living manifestation of Jizo in the underworld. Because the bodhisattva is believed to enter the flames of hell and take on the suffering of the dead in order to save them, the image is known as Daijuku Jizo, the Jizo who bears suffering in another’s place. Despite its location in the busy Teramachi shopping district, the principal image can be worshipped on an everyday visit. Together with the temple’s “sending bell,” it is one of Kyoto’s most distinctive expressions of belief in the boundary between this world and the afterlife.
Dairyuji Temple
Buddhist Image Ususama Myo-o Statue Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
京都府京都市右京区梅ケ畑高鼻町37
Visiting Status Hidden image; the Myoo Hall interior opens on the second Sunday of April and October each year, 9:00–16:00
PowerTense PresenceMystery
Dairyuji Temple in Kyoto’s Ukyo Ward enshrines a secret image of Ususama Myoo in its Myoo Hall. Ususama is revered as a Wisdom King whose blazing fire burns away impurity and transforms it into purity, and is especially famous in Japan as a guardian of toilets and unclean places. The temple itself is widely known through this devotion, giving rise to popular nicknames associated with Ususama. The image is normally hidden, but the interior of the Myoo Hall is opened to the public on the second Sunday of April and October each year, providing a rare opportunity to worship the figure directly.
Mizuyakushiji Temple
Buddhist Image Yakushi Nyorai (Mizuyakushi) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
京都府京都市下京区西七条石井町54
Visiting Status Hidden image; unveiled only on January 8 each year for the Hatsu-Yakushi observance, 10:00–16:00
PurityMysteryPeacefulness
Mizuyakushiji in Kyoto’s Shimogyo Ward enshrines a Yakushi Nyorai known as Mizuyakushi. According to temple tradition, in 902 an image of Yakushi appeared from a large pond, prompting Emperor Daigo to order the monk Shobo to establish the temple. The miraculous emergence from water gave rise to the name Mizuyakushi, and the image has long been venerated for healing and relief from illness. It is normally hidden from public view, but is unveiled once a year on January 8 during the Hatsu-Yakushi observance, when visitors may worship the image from 10:00 to 16:00.
Shakuzen-in Junteido
Buddhist Image Secret Images of the Five Great Power Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
京都府京都市左京区聖護院中町14
Visiting Status Hidden images; unveiled only on February 23 each year during the Godairiki Bodhisattva Service (free worship, approximately 7:00–19:00)
DignityPowerMystery
Shakuzen-in Junteido in Kyoto enshrines a secret group known as the Five Great Power Bodhisattvas. The set consists of Kongoku, Muijurikiku, Ryuoku, Muryorikiku and Raidenku Bodhisattvas, and has long been venerated as the 'Godairiki-san' for protection of the nation, households and property. Normally hidden, the five images are unveiled only once a year on February 23, when the temple holds its annual Godairiki Bodhisattva Service with sutra recitation and goma fire rituals. The rare five-figure ensemble and its living connection with Shugendo ritual make this a distinctive Buddhist-image destination.
Hofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Secret Twin-bodied Kangiten Category Tenbu (Deva)
京都府京都市伏見区西大文字町965
Visiting Status Hidden image; unveiled annually on the first Sunday of May (May 3 in 2026, 9:00–16:00; 500 yen incense offering)
MysteryDignityDepth
Hofukuji Temple in Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward enshrines a secret twin-bodied Kangiten image in its Konpira Hall. The deity is represented as two elephant-headed human figures embracing, an esoteric Buddhist form closely associated at this temple with prayers for fertility and safe childbirth. The official Soto Zen temple guide states that the image was transferred here from Fushimi Castle in 1620 together with the Konpira Hall and other sacred images. Normally hidden, it is unveiled once a year during the annual service held on the first Sunday of May. In 2026 the opening took place on May 3 from 9:00 to 16:00. Its unusual iconography and living devotional tradition make it a highly distinctive Buddhist-image destination.
Shogoin Monzeki
Buddhist Image Kujaku Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
京都府京都市左京区聖護院中町15
Visiting Status Limited-period viewing (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from Oct 10 to Dec 6, 2026; also open Oct 21–22; closed Nov 27–29; admission until 16:00)
MysterySolemnityTense Presence
The Shinden Hall of Shogoin Monzeki, headquarters of the Honzan Shugendo tradition, enshrines an image of Kujaku Myoo, the Peacock Wisdom King. In esoteric Buddhism, Kujaku Myoo is associated with the peacock, which consumes poisonous creatures, and is invoked to dispel poison, illness and calamity. The normally closed Shinden also contains images closely connected with Shugendo, including En no Gyoja, Fudo Myoo, Zao Gongen and Sanbo Kojin. During the 2026 autumn special opening, visitors can enter the Shinden and directly view this unusual Wisdom King image as part of the temple's distinctive sacred ensemble.
Jurinji Temple (Narihira-dera)
Buddhist Image Secret Enmei Jizo Bosatsu Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
京都府京都市西京区大原野小塩町481
Visiting Status Hidden image; unveiled every year on August 23 from 10:00
GentlenessPeacefulnessDepth
Jurinji Temple in Kyoto’s Oharano area enshrines a secret Enmei Jizo Bodhisattva as its principal image. According to temple tradition, the temple was founded in 850 when Emperor Montoku prayed for the safe delivery of Empress Somedono and enshrined an image of Enmei Jizo traditionally attributed to Saicho. The image is normally hidden, but it is unveiled every year on August 23, offering a rare chance to worship the principal image directly. Although the temple is also famous for its connection with the poet Ariwara no Narihira, its very foundation is closely tied to prayers for childbirth and devotion to Jizo.
Kongo-in Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Shukongojin Category Tenbu (Deva)
京都府舞鶴市鹿原595
Visiting Status Advance reservation required (Treasure Hall, 9:00–16:00)
DignityPowerTense Presence
The Treasure Hall of Kongo-in Temple in Maizuru, Kyoto, houses an Important Cultural Property: a wooden standing Shukongojin. Clad in armor and raising a vajra in his right hand, the guardian deity is shown in a forceful pose protecting the Buddhist Law. The statue is considered a pair with the temple’s standing Jinja Daisho and, like that image, is traditionally attributed to the Kamakura-period sculptor Kaikei. Its fierce expression and taut, dynamic stance recall the powerful guardian imagery of major Kamakura sculpture. The Treasure Hall can be visited by advance reservation, allowing the two remarkable guardian figures to be viewed together.
Seyakuji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Aizen Myo-o Category Myo-o (Wisdom King)
京都府与謝郡与謝野町滝1369
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (free access to the temple)
PowerMysteryTense Presence
Seyakuji Temple in Yosano, Kyoto, enshrines a wooden seated Aizen Myoo in its Jibutsudo Hall. The deity is shown in the characteristic fierce, six-armed form and is venerated for relationships and harmony in the home. According to cultural-property materials from Yosano Town, the outer figure dates to the Muromachi period and contains a smaller Aizen Myoo image from the late Kamakura period within its body. This unusual nested construction reflects a regional tradition of placing sacred images inside larger statues. The temple is currently open for general worship.
Ankokuji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Half-Seated Jizo Bosatsu (Koyasu Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
京都府綾部市安国寺町寺ノ段1
Visiting Status Advance reservation required for interior viewing (Apr–Sep 8:00–18:00; Oct–Mar 8:30–17:00; donation requested)
GentlenessPeacefulnessDepth
Ankokuji Temple in Ayabe, Kyoto, enshrines a wooden half-seated Jizo Bodhisattva known as Koyasu Jizo. Tradition holds that Uesugi Kiyoko, mother of Ashikaga Takauji, prayed before this image for the birth of a son, and it continues to be venerated for safe childbirth and fertility. The Heian-period statue is traditionally attributed to Eshin Sozu and is shown in a relaxed half-seated posture, conveying the gentle and approachable character associated with Jizo. Interior viewing requires advance reservation, but clear arrangements are available for individual visitors.
Kannabiji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Yakushi Nyorai (with Attendant Figures) Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
京都府京田辺市薪山垣外61
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (the image can be viewed from outside the hall)
DignityDepthStillness
Kannabiji Temple in Kyotanabe preserves a wooden seated Yakushi Nyorai dating to around the mid-10th century. The head and torso are carved from a single broadleaf timber without hollowing, preserving the natural mass of the original wood and giving the figure a dignified, substantial presence. The statue measures 85.3 cm high. Its two attendant figures date to 1743 and together form a Yakushi triad. A tale in the Konjaku Monogatari also reflects the long history of Yakushi devotion at the former Kannabi-dera. The group was designated a Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Property in March 2026, and the principal image can now be viewed from outside the hall.
Heiji Jizo (Jizoin)
Buddhist Image Stone Standing Jizo Bosatsu (Heiji Jizo / Azatori Jizo) Category Bosatsu (Bodhisattva)
京都府京丹後市大宮町上常吉
Visiting Status Freely accessible
WarmthStillnessDepth
Heiji Jizo is a monumental stone standing Jizo Bodhisattva in Kamitsuneyoshi, Omiya, Kyotango. Erected in 1833, it rises to about 5.3 meters including its pedestal and is regarded as one of the largest stone Jizo images in Kyoto Prefecture. A stain resembling a birthmark on the right cheek led to the affectionate name Azatori Jizo, and the image has long been a focus of local devotion. Each winter, local residents still dress the statue in a large straw raincoat, a living custom that shows how closely the image remains connected to the community. Standing outdoors, it can be viewed freely at any time.
Hofukuji Temple
Buddhist Image Principal Triple-Combined Deity (Konpira Daigongen, Inari Dakini Sonten and Fudo Myo-o) Category Other
京都府京都市伏見区西大文字町965
Visiting Status Hidden image; unveiled annually on the first Sunday of May (May 3 in 2026, 9:00–16:00; 500 yen incense offering)
MysteryDignityPower
Hofukuji Temple in Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward enshrines an exceptionally unusual principal image in its Konpira Hall: a single combined deity incorporating Konpira Daigongen, Inari Dakini Sonten and Fudo Myoo. The image has long been associated with prayers for protection, safe travel by sea, abundant harvests and prosperity in business. According to the official Soto Zen temple history, it was once enshrined in a Konpira Hall at Fushimi Castle during the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was transferred to the present temple in 1620 together with the hall and other sacred images. Normally hidden, it is unveiled once a year on the first Sunday of May together with the temple’s secret twin-bodied Kangiten.
Kyoto Taishakuten
Buddhist Image Tamonten (Bishamonten) and Zochoten Statues Category Tenbu (Deva)
京都府南丹市八木町船枝里ノ内1
Visiting Status Open viewing (worship from the front of the Main Hall)
DignityPowerTense Presence
Kyoto Taishakuten in Nantan enshrines statues of Tamonten, also known as Bishamonten, and Zochoten in its Main Hall. Temple tradition dates the founding to 780 by Wake no Kiyomaro, and the temple’s official guide states that these two guardian figures have been preserved since the original foundation. The secret principal deity, Taishakuten, is flanked by the Four Heavenly Kings; Jikokuten and Komokuten were newly enshrined in 2007, while Tamonten and Zochoten are the older surviving images. The 700-meter approach is lined with 108 prayer bells, and the temple is open for free worship, making this a distinctive mountain sanctuary centered on living guardian-deity devotion.
Enjoji Temple
Buddhist Image Nio Guardian Statues (Agyo and Ungyo) Category Tenbu (Deva)
京都府京丹後市峰山町橋木873
Visiting Status Open viewing (the Nio statues stand on both sides of the Main Hall; interior viewing requires advance reservation)
PowerDignityTense Presence
Large Nio guardian statues stand on both sides of the Main Hall at Enjoji Temple in Mineyama, Kyotango. The official Kyotango tourism guide attributes them to the Kyoto Buddhist sculptor Kamada Kinai. Enjoji is an ancient temple traditionally founded in 717 by the monk Subhakarasimha and enshrines an Important Cultural Property, a standing Thousand-Armed Kannon, as its principal image. That principal image is a secret Buddha shown only once every 33 years, while the Nio can be seen during ordinary visits. Their forceful presence guarding the mountain temple makes them a strong and accessible Buddhist-image destination.
Saizenji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Amida Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
京都府与謝郡与謝野町石川2412
Visiting Status Limited-period viewing (the temple opens around the New Year’s Eve bell ceremony on December 31; the principal image can be viewed then)
DignityDepthStillness
Saizenji Temple in Ishikawa, Yosano, enshrines a wooden standing Amida Nyorai dating to the late Kamakura period. Cultural-property materials from Yosano Town record a height of 149.7 cm, making it unusually large for a Kamakura-period standing Amida image. Set on a pedestal more than one meter high, the statue has a commanding presence. Its slightly forward-leaning posture, complex joined-wood construction and hairline treatment have been noted as reflecting influence from Song-dynasty sculpture. It is described as the tallest standing Buddhist image in the town. The statue is not normally on continuous public display, but the temple opens around the New Year’s Eve bell ceremony each December 31, when the principal image can be viewed.
Choanji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Yakushi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
京都府福知山市奥野部577
Visiting Status Regular viewing available (temple hours 9:00–17:00; enshrined as the maedachi image in the Yakushi Hall)
PeacefulnessDepthStillness
Choanji Temple in Fukuchiyama enshrines this wooden seated Yakushi Nyorai in its Yakushi Hall. The 104 cm statue dates to the late Heian period and now serves as the maedachi, or front-facing image, for a secret standing Yakushi that is unveiled only once every 33 years. Fukuchiyama City notes the statue’s split-and-joined construction, gentle facial expression and restrained drapery characteristic of the late Heian period. Temple tradition also says that the standing secret image may once have been contained inside this seated statue, making the relationship between the two Yakushi images especially intriguing. The temple is normally open from 9:00 to 17:00, allowing visitors to worship this accessible front image.
Daifukukoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Standing Bishamonten (Warabi no Bishamon-san) Category Tenbu (Deva)
京都府船井郡京丹波町下山岩ノ上22
Visiting Status Freely accessible
DignityPowerSolemnity
Daifukukoji Temple in Kyotamba enshrines a wooden standing Bishamonten as its principal image. The temple is traditionally said to have been founded in the Enryaku era (782–805) by the Kurama-dera monk Shaku Hoen and is affectionately known as Warabi no Bishamon-san after its principal deity. The statue dates to the Kamakura period and is designated a Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Property. Kyoto Prefecture describes it as a fine example of a Kamakura-period heavenly guardian image covered in beautiful polychrome decoration. After receiving the devotion of Ashikaga Takauji, the temple became a prayer temple for the Ashikaga shogunal family. Today the temple is open for free worship.
Shakuoji Temple
Buddhist Image Wooden Seated Dainichi Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
京都府綾部市七百石町寺ノ段1
Visiting Status Advance reservation required for interior viewing
DignitySolemnityStillness
Shakuoji Temple in Ayabe preserves a wooden seated Dainichi Nyorai dating to the Kamakura period according to Ayabe City’s cultural-property records. The image was provisionally registered as a Kyoto Prefectural Cultural Property in 2020. The temple is traditionally said to have been founded in 949 by the monk Kuya and is also known for its thatched Main Hall and Nio Gate. The grounds are freely accessible, while interior viewing requires advance reservation. In this quiet mountain-temple setting, visitors can encounter Dainichi Nyorai, the central Buddha of Esoteric Buddhism, at close range by arrangement.
Hojoji Temple
Buddhist Image Seated Shaka Nyorai Category Nyorai (Tathagata)
京都府亀岡市畑野町千ヶ畑藤垣内1
Visiting Status Advance reservation required (Main Hall and garden viewing 9:00–16:00; admission 500 yen)
DignityDepthStillness
Hojoji Temple in Kameoka, Kyoto, enshrines a seated Shaka Nyorai as its principal image. The temple’s official site states that the statue was donated by Tofukumon-in Kazuko, consort of Emperor Go-Mizunoo. Hojoji was founded in 1641 under the patronage of the retired Emperor Go-Mizunoo, with the Zen monk Isshi Bunshu as its founding abbot. The principal image therefore remains closely tied to the temple’s imperial history and living religious identity. Visits to the Main Hall and garden are available by advance reservation from 9:00 to 16:00.