Apart from its love of gold, Honkoku-ji (本圀寺) is just like any other temple. In fact, most temple are after gold (money) anyway, but Honkoku-ji is doing it bling-bling style by covering many things in gold: statues, torii, bells all get the same luxury treatment. Note that it may not be gold (shocking!) but it's the colour that counts of course. In that sense this temple is a bit Chinese in style. So this temple is actually not like other temples at all. Mind you, the 'gold' can make interesting photo opportunities, but it won't be in the traditional/zen style, far from it.
Honkoku-ji was originally located in the centre of Kyoto city since it founding in 1253, but was moved here in 1971. Real restoration and constructions started in the early 80s, at the height of the economic bubble in Japan, which may have something to do with the temple's love for the yellow stuff.
Access to the temple may be a bit complicated. I walked along the Biwako canal from Bishamon-do and would recommend it in April as cherry blossom trees border the canal. Otherwise it's a 10 minutes walk from Misagi station on the Tozai line. Access: Nearby: Yōkō-ji 永興寺 (390m), Bishamon-dō 毘沙門堂 (1.1km) External links: Website, ウィキペディア, 京都風光, Satellite view, Map Keywords: Japan, 日本, Japon, Kyoto, 京都, Yamashina, 本圀寺, temple, Honkoku-ji, 寺院, 仏閣 Statistics: visited on 2 occasions, id 322, 7 photos (4 extra photos can be found in the archive). |
