Yes, photography is allowed inside the temple and its grounds.
There is no specific dress code, but visitors are expected to dress modestly as a sign of respect for the sacred place.
Yes, guided tours in English are available upon request for a small fee.
Yes, visitors are welcome to participate in annual ceremonies and rituals at the temple.
Yes, paid parking is available near the temple entrance. However, it can get crowded during peak hours, so public transportation is recommended.
Traveler reviews
Kakuozan Temple is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing, making it perfect for quiet reflection.
What makes this temple especially interesting is its strong connection to Thailand. Outside, there is a statue of King Chulalongkorn, which highlights the historical relationship between the two countries. Inside the temple, you can also see elephant artwork from Thailand, adding a unique cultural touch.
Visitors can buy incense sticks to show respect and take part in traditional practices, which adds to the meaningful experience.
Overall, Kakuozan Temple is not only serene but also culturally rich, especially for those interested in Thai-Japanese connections.
A lovely Buddhist Temple, nestled at the end of a cozy little street in Kakuozan. You can shop and eat your way to the entrance, as you take a short meander from the Kakuozan station. Once you arrive, you will be greeted by two tall smiley guardians that look like Aang from Avatar the Last Airbender. There is truly a striking resemblance.
Once you pass through the threshold, you will be enveloped in a magical world with a giant pagoda, chanting monks, burning incense, and a dragon shooting a tiny stream of water (not fire) from its mouth. If you are lucky, you will get to hear the monks strike the gong.
The temple occasionally hosts a tiny market in the southwest corner on Sundays. They also host a street market with food, clothing, and produce on the 21st of every month. Definitely a must go if you are in Nagoya.
Nittaiji, located in the Kakuōzan district of Nagoya, was founded in 1904 to enshrine a relic (the ashes) of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) that had been discovered in northern India in 1898.  These relics were donated to the Kingdom of Thailand and in 1900 offered to Japan by Chulalongkorn (King Rama V of Thailand). 
In gratitude and symbolising Japan–Thailand friendship, the temple was created as a non-sectarian Buddhist institution (a rare format in Japan) and named combining the characters for “Japan” (日) and “Thailand” (泰).
The temple ground is quite big, though there are only a few temple buildings. Compared to the Kōshō-ji temple, this Kakuo-zan Nittai-ji temple is grander and polished, it is more curated (and manicured, if I may). I personally like the Kōshō-ji temple as it is more intimate.
The one cool thing about this temple is that if you want to get a fortune slip, there's a capsule toy machine where you can put 100 yen inside to do so, which is quite an unique experience.
The Temple is unique in East Asian nations, especially in Japan, because the Temple was built with significant inputs and efforts of the Thai or Southern Buddhist sects and Thai government. The difference of the Temple from other Japanese temples can be easily seen in its pagoda top, worship hall, and putti trees in front of the worship halls.
The Temple has large parking lot for the worshippers and visitors. The access for the Temple is free and parking is also free.
