Jindoji Temple is located in the mountains of Kizugawa City, in the southern part of the Kyoto Tea Country region. The temple houses numerous Important Cultural Properties, which can be viewed through a guided tour led by the priest. In spring, the precincts transform into a vibrant spectacle of pink and reddish purple hues, as cherry blossoms and azaleas form a flower tunnel over the stone steps leading up to the bell tower.
The temple is said to have been built by Prince Shotoku (around 574-622) and later prospered as a training ground for Shugendo, a mountain asceticism. The mountain where the temple stands was once home to many temple buildings, but they were all burned down in a fire. The current main hall, Zao-do Hall, dates back to 1406, which is designated as an Important Cultural Property. It enshrines a statue of the temple’s principal deity, Zao Gongen, which is from the Muromachi Period (around 1336-1573). Legend has it that the original statue of Zao Gongen created at this temple was carved by En no Gyoja during his ascetic training, who is said to be the founder of Shugendo.
In addition to the main hall, there are many other Important Cultural Properties, including six wooden statues in the repository: Seated Aizen Myo-o (Rāgarāja, one of the Buddhist Wisdom Kings), Standing Fudo Myo-o (Acala, one of the Buddhist Wisdom Kings), Seated Amida Nyorai (Amida Buddha), Standing Nikko (Sunlight) and Gakko (Moonlight) Bodhisattvas, and Standing Bishamonten (Vaiśravaṇa, one of the Four Heavenly Kings).
If you walk to the temple from Tanakura Station on the JR Nara Line, you can enjoy the scenery of the tea plantations and refreshing mountain air.
- Tel
- 0774-86-2161
- Address
- 112 Jindoji Fusedani, Yamashiro-cho, Kizugawa City, Kyoto
- Access
- -About 10 min. by car from Tanakura Station (JR Nara Line)
-About 15 min. by car (or about 40 min. on foot) from Shin-Hōsono Station (Kintetsu Kyoto Line) - Business Hours
- 9:00am - 5:00pm (closes at 4:00pm in winter)
No regular closing days
- Parking
- Available: 5 spaces (A large bus can park in a space about a 7-minute walk away)
