Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto: Highlights and Personal Photos with Insights into One of the Largest Wooden Buildings in the World

2024-08-072024-09-20

Higashi Honganji is a temple with one of the largest wooden buildings in the world. If you look at it up close, you will be overwhelmed by its presence and profound feeling.

This article will share the highlights of Higashi Honganji Temple, along with some personal photographs.

Getting to Higashi Honganji Temple from Kyoto Station

Higashi Honganji Temple is within walking distance from Kyoto Station, and you can get there in about 7 minutes (350 meters) on foot.

Highlights of Higashi Honganji Temple

The photo above shows one of the entrances, the Amidado Gate. If you’re coming from Kyoto Station, this is the first entrance you’ll see. The gate is adorned with luxurious carvings, making it quite a sight.

The main highlight of Higashi Honganji Temple is undoubtedly the grandeur of the main hall, Goeido Hall. It is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, measuring 76×58 meters and standing 38 meters tall. Seeing it up close, the scale is truly overwhelming.

Additionally, the Goeido Gate shown in the photo above is among the largest wooden gates in the world and boasts the tallest height for a wooden gate in Japan. The carvings on the Goeido Gate, seen through the fountain, were also quite stunning.

The photo above shows the Amidado Hall, located next to Goeido Hall.

Unfortunately, photography is likely prohibited inside, but the interior houses a statue of Amitabha Buddha and is adorned with luxurious golden decorations. These golden decorations are said to represent the Pure Land, and they were truly beautiful.

As a hidden highlight, in the hallway between the Goeido Hall and the worship reception area, many thought-provoking phrases are displayed on the walls. It’s worth taking the time to read them. In addition to English, translations are available in Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese.

The photo above means “In order to know ourselves, we need others to serve as our mirrors.”