Katsuo-ji Temple

This was a very beautiful temple especially in autumn. The stamp rally was really fun and a good addition to my scrap book. The stamps also had good ink in them so they weren’t weak like the eki ones.. It’s easy to get a bus to the station (the bus is a bit pricey tho prewarning, 800 yen one way and 1600 return). It’s easy to get a taxi from outside to other places also - we went to the minoh falls afterwards which was really beautiful. It is hard to walk anywhere from the temple though, expect to walk around one hour or more. The price for entry was good and comes with the stamp rally card. I think charging for an extra adult entry ticket to get another stamp card is a bit cheeky. If you want to go to a cafe afterwards there isn’t one inside the temple visitor centre but I saw signs outside pointing to one. I really wanted a coffee and got one from the vending machine, it was too late by the time I saw the signs so putting it here as a good to know! :) One thing I didn’t like was how busy it was, it was hard to slow down and enjoy the peace of the temple with so many tourists, then again we did arrive for 12pmish which, judging from google, seems to be the peak visiting time- i would recommend going earlier or later to get a better experience. The dark a castella cakes also only come in a portion of 33, smaller portion options would be much better.

I would rate this as up their as far as temples go, we went late in the afternoon and caught the last bus home. A beautiful sunny day, low crowd and spectacular gardens, waterways and shrines. Absolutely loved it. The history about the Daruma hit home for me and the sheer numbers of them for effort puts life of all into perspective so many people hoping for some luck and happiness. The postcard with stamping stations was a great touch. Well worth a visit. As always the Japanese staff where respectful, helpful and amazing, loved it bit i do love simple and quiet 🤙

This temple is absolutely stunning! I highly recommend going early in the morning, as it was not crowded at all, which made the experience much more peaceful and enjoyable. The atmosphere was perfect for photography; you can get some truly beautiful shots here. The leaves are just beginning to change color, adding a lovely seasonal touch to the scenery. A note on parking: The parking fee is quite high at 1000 yen for 2 hours, so keep that in mind when planning your visit.

There is an entrance fee of 500 yen per adult, which includes a stamp card. Everyone gets a postcard souvenir, which makes this place fun and engaging! This is by far one of the most well-planned temple experiences I’ve seen. The landscaping is thoughtfully designed, and the walking route is clearly laid out. Set aside about 1.5 hours to enjoy the scenery and complete all the 6/6 stamp station.

I actively tried to go to places that were not subject to massive tourism and this is the best spot I've done so far! The scenery is amazing, the vibe is magnificent and this place holds just enough tourists for it to be enjoyable. It does take a little travel out of Osaka and you do take a bus without knowing if you're on the right track but other than that this is a very enjoyable outing. The whole visit is under 2 km, with some steep stairs. I took my time and it took me about two hours to enjoy it. I walked it a second time at a good pace and it took me 20-25 minutes. The stamps are easy to find but are not the only appeal of this place. I got so much energy from this visit, after having been cooped up in Osaka's busy neighbourhoods for several days. I highly recommend!