Kongobu-ji Temple
Kongobu-ji Temple
4.5
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
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Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles520 reviews
Excellent
286
Very good
194
Average
35
Poor
4
Terrible
1

BestRegards FromFar
Cape Town Central, South Africa674 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Couples
Absolutely loved the rock garden and the paintings in the sliding doors. This has become one of my favourite temples visited in Japan. It is large and a great one to explore as there is a lot to see. Highly recommend it.
Written 25 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AB_Stb_OZ
Oud-Zuilen, The Netherlands601 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Kongobu-ji temple is the center of the Shogun Buddhist community. There are many temples and subtemples and there is an interesting (huge) Zen Garden. Staff is highly accomodating to visitors.
Written 30 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robert Y
Hong Kong, China99 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2019 • Solo
Kongobuji is the head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism. The screen paintings and the large rock garden are very impressive. Do spend some time sitting down in complete silence on the edge of the rock garden, you may find that you're in another world.
Written 10 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Doug B
Cleveland, Ohio, United States18 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2018 • Family
One is tempted to bypass this temple when visiting Koyasan and spend ones time at the cemetery. If you have 45 minutes, I would recommend a visit. Beautiful painted screens and an amazing stone garden, the largest in Japan.
Written 4 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

tonsterl
Sydney, Australia153 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2017 • Solo
I visited there early in the morning when there was hardly any tourist buses started coming.
I didn't take any audio guide and strolled the various rooms. Fascinating artwork in each of the rooms.
Don't miss the rock garden! Absolutely amazing!
Written 23 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gaurav B
Hong Kong, China53 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2015 • Couples
We went to this place while we were just walking around in koyasan as it is one of the recommended places to go. There were a number of old halls and structures but being from India, we've seen our fair share of these things. Maybe it means a lot to somebody who knows more about the place but for us it was quite normal.
Written 22 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

beroccstar
Ubud, Indonesia136 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2014 • Couples
..and by definition I guess that means it's also the biggest in the world ;) Really worth paying to go in to see the rock garden otherwise it's just another temple.
At the moment they have a special night session from 6.30pm-8pm. We went at night and for a few moments really enjoyed the tranquility of the silent dark air on the precisely laid rocks. Unfortunately the serenity was quickly ruined by the entry of a family whose children ran around playfully screaming.. ah well. No tea or crackers at night and we missed the temple kitchen others speak of. Personally I wish we went in the daytime as the night lights don't do a great job of revealing the whole garden so we couldn't see it all.
Written 20 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marathonwinner
Toronto, Canada113 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2012 • Couples
The building is sort of ordinary if you've visited many other temples. There are some fine wall murals and good display labels that are fairly inspirational.
But make sure you follow the slightly hidden signs leading to the "Japanese Tea Service." This is code for free tea. More important, the tea area is slightly off the beaten path but seems to be the only way to see the famous rock garden - the largest rock garden in Japan. This is well worth seeing as it stretches around three sides of the temple and is really very good.
For some reason no one on site mentioned the tea or the garden to us, and there were few signs. We only stumbled upon it in our desperate drive for warmth.
Written 1 April 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChristinePeregrina
Seabeck, WA347 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2019 • Solo
This is a beautiful site - but avoid the crowds and tour buses and visit at night. You won’t be sorry.
Written 16 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rajesh444
Melbourne, Australia182 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2018 • Couples
If you visit any shrine for a moment of utter peace and relaxation, then this is it. A beautiful temple, but it is the tranquil location and a sense of inner peace that makes this place so lovely.
Written 1 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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