Hoonji Temple
Hoonji Temple
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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 wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles50 reviews
Excellent
21
Very good
25
Average
4
Poor
0
Terrible
0

StanleyAuckland
Auckland, New Zealand2,230 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Inside Hoonji Temple are 500 statues of buddhist deciples.
They are made from wood, using a finish of laquer or gold and took 9 sculptors 4 years to complete, after having started in 1731. The works include statues of Kublai Khan and Marco Polo.
To get there , take a bus from the rail station, about 10 minute ride cost 100 yen . ( We made use of a tourist map supplied by the hotel). The bus stop is about 600 metres from the Temple.

After getting off the bus I saw a direction sign to Princess Centipede Grave. A name like this has to be checked out so a brief sidestep down a small lane located it . There is an explanation at the grave for the name. The story is that the princess ( whose name I forgot to write down), married a prominent member of the Nambu Clan and gave to the family an arrowhead which was said to have killed a giant centipede. The Princess died when she was about 30 years old . When she was buried, it was ordered that a small arch bridge be built in front of the tombstone. The bridge was finally completed but overnight it was mysteriously destroyed. It was rebuilt but again destroyed. The people then believed that a giant centipede had destroyed the bridge. A final replacement was built overnight and guarded by Samurai.
I don't know how long they stood guard but there is no longer a bridge there.
Written March 6, 2008
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.

Jeanne B
Johannesburg, South Africa117 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2013 • Couples
The temple is tucked away and we needed some help finding it, but it was worth the effort. It is quiet and secluded and when we were there we were the only visitors. The 500 statues as amazing, most of them still gilded in gold. Each statue is unique with facial features and clothing. The detail is quite amazing. The experience of seeing the shelves of statues is a little eerie in the large and darkened temple, but it is well worth creating this special memory.
Written May 9, 2013
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.

ulujungleboy
Singapore, Singapore35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2017 • Couples
A bit of a trek to reach this temple but definitely worth the effort. This is a temple with a unique atmosphere, combining tranquility and a certain eeriness in equal measure. The kind elderly volunteer at the temple was also a wealth of information and was amazingly extremely fluent in English.
Written January 9, 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.

DavidMMc56
Melbourne, Australia211 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Couples
After a lot of travel throughout south east Asia I am not easily impressed by yet another temple but I have to say I enjoyed the hour or so spent here.
The gentleman in the ticket box was a wealth of information and was happy to show us around and point out numerous items most tourists would not get to see.
The 500 seated figures in the main temple are spectacular and no 2 are alike. Look hard to find figures of Marco Polo and Ghengis Khan seated together.
Written May 30, 2016
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.

ONorth
Ontario, Canada82 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016 • Friends
A little difficult to locate but worth the visit. Admission is very reasonable and 500 Buddhist statues are quite impressive. The Buddhist monk on site spoke excellent English and was very welcoming and informative. Well worth visiting.
Written August 11, 2016
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.

nekokatze
Virginia93 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Couples
The main gate is quite impressive. You are welcomed by Kannon and Jizou when you enter this pine haven. Enter the main temple straight ahead (remembering to remove your shoes before you step onto the wooden stairs). Go up the stairs and to the left. If there is no attendant at the entrance window, simply put your 300 yen on the green plate, take a brochure, and enter (following the hallway down and to the left). Photography is allowed, but please refrain from using flash. WARNING: last admittance is at 1530! I advise going no later than 1400. The way to the temple is not well-signed until you get close to the temple. If you are taking the Honmachi-dori up to the area, keep a look out for the rock shop with a mini-Godzilla on the left. The temple is shortly after that on a small side street to the right on the left hand side. When leaving, you can walk out and to your left following the signs to the Demon Handprint Shrine.
Written August 1, 2016
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.

Seven W
Washington DC, DC369 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2016 • Couples
The temple is located in temple district. Once you enter the gate, it's very quite. The cherry blossoms were full bloom at the temple.

When we visited in late April weekday afternoon, there are 3 other visitors in temple. The hall displays 500 buddhist disciples statues. As there's no lighting and it's dark inside the hall, you see only with slight light from windows. The statue is placed from wall to wall in every nook of the wall. Each statue has different pose and facial expression. It's amazing. Check out Marco Polo and Kublai Khan among Buddhist disciplines (located the right wall when you enter). They look evil. No surprise Kublai Khan invaded in Japan twice.

The temple holds free Zazen meditation on Saturday evening and sutra copying on Sunday morning. You need to understand Japanese, but the monk explained very well before meditation. We had wonderful experience at both events.
Written May 20, 2016
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.

klucchese
Emeryville, CA16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2015 • Couples
In a quiet corner of the city, this temple hosts a hall in which gilded statues of 500 sages may be found, encouraging us by their example.
Written May 16, 2016
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.

DDS-Kioi
California39 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Solo
Beautiful setting but signage within temple is unclear (even in Japanese). Out-of-bounds areas are not consistently marked. Entry procedures are not described. Staff more like police than temple workers.
Written May 14, 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.

snerd45
South Perth, Australia187 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2016 • Couples
This temple is quite well concealed, and is about a kilometre up past the Prefecture office, heading north. The temple is the site of the 500 Buddhas, that were carved by 3 craftsmen in about the 1500-1600s.
The entry fee was 300 Yen, that you should have to place in the bowl to offer to the Monk, as they should not have to touch money.
The day that we went was a week day and quite cold, and we had the temple to ourselves, only being driven out when it was too cold on our stockinged feet.
The rest of the temple facilities were superb, and the gate to the Temple was magnificent.
Written April 4, 2016
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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Hoonji Temple, Morioka

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