What other travelers are saying about Hokokuji Temple
If you do not go to Kyoto and want to see a nice garden with bamboo, I highly recommend coming here. It’s a nice day trip from Tokyo and you could easily spend an hour here. The garden is stunning! It is a bit out of the way but still easy to access. Not too many people but still quite a few. Great spot for photos.
Small but mighty! Went to Kyoto and it was waaaaaay too busy, so we didnt get a chance to visit Arashiyama in our last trip. This time, We took a day trip from Tokyo and started here as the first temple stop while in Kamakura. It was absolutely lovely. We probably only spent 20 minutes here but we enjoyed the stroll to see the gardens and bamboo grove. We were able to take a good shot without people in the background. I definitely recommend a visit here. We chose to walk to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu because traffic was a bit busy around 11 on a Friday - it took about 20 minutes but we were able to stop at a cute bakery on the way and admire the houses of the neighborhood.
Houkokuji has a ¥400 entry fee for adults. You can also pay extra for a cup of green tea, which you can enjoy in a charming tea shed overlooking the bamboo grove, super relaxing experience.
The bamboo forest here is like a smaller version of the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto, but it’s still really pretty and gives off a calm, peaceful vibe. A great spot to slow down and soak in the atmosphere!
It was okay. The bamboo forest isn't very large—more like a small corner with a teahouse, a modest zen garden, and a short entry path. While it’s peaceful and nicely maintained, the whole area is quite small. We were only there for about 15 minutes before we'd seen everything. At 400 yen for the garden, it felt a bit overpriced for what you get; I personally think 200 yen would’ve been more reasonable.
I'd been to the one in Kyoto and it's just packed with tourists, so I deliberately chose this bamboo forest to get better photos. There's definitely visitors here, but there plenty of opportunity for good photo opportunities. The teahouse, the garden and the walking paths all provide the aforementioned opportunities.
I would recommend getting a combined ticket with the tea. The views at the teahouse are to die for.
