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A small stone bridge arches over a reflective pond surrounded by trees and moss in a tranquil Japanese garden. A traditional pavilion is seen on the right, with wooden structures and benches nearby.
Large wooden sliding doors open to reveal shoji-style panels on a traditional Japanese building, with a wooden floor and detailed woodwork around the entrance.
A small stone bridge arches over a reflective pond surrounded by trees and moss in a tranquil Japanese garden. A traditional pavilion is seen on the right, with wooden structures and benches nearby.
Colorful strings of paper origami cranes hang side by side, creating a vibrant display. The cranes are folded from various shades of paper and are suspended from wooden rods against a wooden ceiling.
A stone bridge covered in moss crosses over a pond, reflecting two small wooden Japanese-style buildings surrounded by lush greenery in a tranquil garden setting.
A stone statue wearing a traditional woven straw hat stands outdoors, with a blurred green natural background. The statue is seen from behind, creating a calm and serene atmosphere.
Takayama

Hokke-ji Temple

4.1 (55)Buddhist TempleTourist AttractionPlace Of WorshipAssociation Or OrganizationPoint Of InterestEstablishment
Last updated Nov 8, 2026

Hokke-ji Temple, formally Joeizan Hokke-ji, is a Buddhist temple in the Higashiyama temple district on the east side of Takayama. Its main hall is believed to have been moved from Takayama Castle, and the temple grounds are one of the quieter stops on the city's Higashiyama walking course.

This Takayama temple is not the same as the better-known Hokke-ji nunnery in Nara, an 8th-century imperial temple in a different region.

What to see at Hokke-ji

The main hall from Takayama Castle

Kanamori Nagachika built Takayama Castle in 1588, and his family ruled Hida from it for about a century. When the shogunate moved the Kanamori clan out of Hida in 1692, the castle was dismantled. A few buildings were saved and rebuilt elsewhere, and Hokke-ji's main hall is thought to be one of them. It is designated a cultural property by Gifu Prefecture. The castle site itself is now Shiroyama Park and the castle ruins, a short walk south.

Banshindo hall, the pond and the washing Buddha

In front of the Banshindo, a smaller hall designated by Takayama City, a stone arched bridge crosses a pond. In fall the water fills with fallen leaves. To the right stands the arai-botoke, a "washing Buddha" statue. Visitors pour water over the part of the statue that matches their own ailment, in the belief that it will help them heal.

The temple gate, bell house and stone pillars are also listed among the city's historic buildings, and the temple garden is recorded as a local scenic spot. The Takayama cultural property register lists each designation.

How to get to Hokke-ji

Hokke-ji is in Tenshoji-machi, in the cluster of temples and shrines that lines the foot of the eastern hills. The temple district is about 10 minutes on foot east of the old merchant streets of Sanmachi.

The easiest way to see it is as part of the self-guided Higashiyama route, a signposted path that links more than ten temples and shrines with Shiroyama Park. Signboards along the way are in English as well as Japanese.

If you would like the history explained as you go, the guided walk through Higashiyama's temples takes just over an hour with an English-speaking guide.

Best time to visit Hokke-ji

Fall is the best season, when the maples around the pond turn and the leaves cover the water, usually in late October and early November. Mornings are quiet year-round, since most day-trippers stay in the old town.


Phone
+81 577-32-4517


Overview

Address
62 Tenshōjimachi, Takayama, Gifu 506-0832, Japan

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Places & attractions near Hokke-ji Temple

A traditional Japanese temple with a black tiled roof and red-and-white wooden beams stands on a grassy field under a clear blue sky.

Heijo Palace Site

A traditional Japanese building with a tiled roof stands behind a stone pathway, low beige walls, lanterns, and lush greenery, all bathed in warm sunlight.

Saidai-ji Temple

A traditional Japanese temple with a tiled roof is seen behind flowering branches and a small garden with rocks and greenery. The scene is peaceful and sunlit.

Akishino-dera Temple

A large white building with a mural of two cartoon sheep facing a haystack is shown. Japanese text and the word "WELCOME" are painted above the mural. Green shrubs line the building and trees are visible in the background.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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  2. Places
  3. Takayama
  4. Hokke-ji Temple

Phone

+81 577-32-4517

Explore tours near Hokke-ji Temple

Sogenji Temple
1 hour and 10 minutes
Higashiyama Walking Tour in Takayama
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3 hours and 30 minutes
Half-Day Takayama Walk Tour with an English-Speaking Guide
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2 days / 3 days
Takayama and Shirakawago 2-Day Tour
Takayama
40 to 50 minutes
Night Walking Tour in Takayama

Traveler reviews

Quiet temple complex with a beautiful old main hall, pond and mossy stone bridge, just a short walk from central Takayama. There’s also the small Banjindo Hall, which enshrines five protective deities of Hokke-ji and sits beside a reflective garden pond and stone arch bridge, giving the place a slightly mystical feel. With the large bell tower, old wooden corridors and almost no crowds, it’s a great spot to wander slowly and get a sense of historic temple life away from the main tourist streets.
Profile photo
Dan
Nov 28, 2025
Quiet, secluded and peaceful temple with beautiful mighty trees.
I reached there by bike around noon on a weekday . There were only a few tourists. A small peaceful place. Got nice angles for photo especially steps at entrance. I walked around for 15 minutes then left for next temple on the route.
Lovely part of a gentle walking route through historic Takayama. Excellent maps availabke at train station Tourism office (even if the younger attendant there is bored by tourists and prefers an empty office...a bit like many rural French tourism office "welcomes").
yet another nice temple tucked between the suburbs and the forested hills

More about Hokke-ji Temple from our blog

A serene street in a traditional Japanese town features wooden buildings with paper lanterns and potted plants along the sides. In the distance, a torii gate stands at the edge of a forest, framed by lush green trees under a partly cloudy sky.

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