What other travelers are saying about Ryugeji Temple, Shizuoka
Although it's in a slightly inconvenient location, this temple is worth visiting. For those with cars, there's a large parking lot, making it convenient. Mount Fuji looked incredibly beautiful. The admission fee is 400 yen, but the building is impressive, and you could spend hours admiring the vivid paintings, Buddha statues, sliding doors, and fixtures inside. The garden is spacious, and you can see many plants, including well-grown cycads, cacti, pines, and linden trees. Apparently there are also many Japanese toads, so I'd like to come in the summer and hear their calls. You can sit and rest on the veranda or in chairs. The sound of the wind chimes was soothing. It was nice and quiet, with few people around, perhaps because it was a weekday. Tea was served when I left. 2025.11
The last time I stopped by, it was too late, so I couldn't see the temple, so this time I took my husband on a Sunday. 🙌⤴️⤴️
After passing through the Sanmon gate, there's the temple office, where you can buy your admission ticket and proceed. After purifying yourself at the chozuya (water purification fountain), you can enter the main hall. ☝️ Inside, the ceiling is covered in paintings! (The photo is intentionally taken backwards, as the names of the donors are included.) Nirvana and birth paintings were painted on both sides of the walls. 😄
From the main hall, we moved to the next building, where history and photographs were displayed, including a photo of Emperor Showa before his accession to the throne. 🤔 After looking inside, we walked around the outside, and a sign by the large cactus said that there's also a Longhua Temple in Shanghai, so it makes sense that the ceiling paintings were more Chinese. 🙆 The tombs of great men (sorry... I forgot their names) You can also walk to the temple grounds, and the view of Mt. Fuji from there was amazing! 🤩🤩🤩
Just before the exit, there were lots of beautiful carp, and you could buy some carp food from the office. ☝️ (There are two, so please share some with them. ☺️)
We had ice cream at the temple office, chatted with the shopkeeper, and bought a pre-written goshuin (temple seal). We had a relaxing time. 😄 The admission fee and goshuin together came to about ¥800 per person. Parking is available in front of the temple gate.
Beautiful temple in Shizuoka. Tranquil, it exudes the harmony and peace you seek. A lovely building and a beautiful collection of Buddha paintings. The temple staff were incredibly kind and attentive. Excellent.
As the temple's name "Kan Toyama" suggests, Mount Fuji is beautifully visible from the elevated area within the temple grounds. The temple is home to the largest and oldest of Japan's three major cycads, as well as the oldest Japanese cactus, both of which are well worth seeing. Another appealing feature is the ability to enjoy the views from any direction. Most of the temple grounds are a strolling garden, with many ingenious features designed to entertain visitors. Perhaps the beautiful weather afforded us a clear view of Mount Fuji, but this temple is truly a pleasant place to worship.
Although it's off the railroad line, access is surprisingly convenient. Take a bus bound for Kunozanshita from JR Shimizu Station or Shizutetsu Shin-Shimizu Station and get off at the Ryugeji bus stop. Kunozanshita is the closest bus stop to the entrance to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine's main approach, offering spectacular views of Suruga Bay while visiting the shrine. While many visitors recently choose to take the ropeway via Nihon-daira, the Omotesando route is far more scenic if you're able to walk. It would be a good idea to visit Kunozan Toshogu Shrine first thing in the morning, and then drop by Ryugeji Temple. The temple grounds face east, with the mountain towering to the west, so as the sun sets, the temple grounds are cast in shadow. I visited just after 2 p.m. on a winter day, and the area around the cycads and cacti was mostly in the shade. If I have another opportunity, I would like to visit before noon.
I wasn't able to get a handwritten goshuin due to the chief priest's schedule, but even paying ¥400 for it is a facility packed with things to see. Everything about it is overwhelming.
The soshidô, built in 2003, features 220 ceiling paintings by artist Masaharu Ogura. These paintings depict Buddhas, flowers, and dragons, making it a visual and spiritual highlight of the temple.
The temple features an impressive main hall, traditional Japanese gardens, and a historic wooden pagoda. Visitors can also view the beautiful Amida Buddha statue, which is the temple's main deity.
Yes, visitors can participate in meditation sessions, tea ceremonies, and temple tours led by the monks, offering an immersive cultural experience.
Visitors should dress respectfully, as Ryugeji Temple is a place of worship. It’s also recommended to be mindful of temple etiquette, such as removing shoes when entering certain areas.
