What to know
Nariaiji Temple (成相寺) belongs to the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. Originally built near the summit of Mount Tsuzumigatake, it was relocated to its present lower slope after a landslide about 250 years ago. Even today, the temple grounds sit high enough on the mountainside to reward visitors with lovely views over the bay, though reaching them requires a bit of effort.
The temple is one of the 33 stops on the Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage in western Japan. Its main object of worship is a carved wooden statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, dating from the Heian Period.
Below the main hall stands a small wooden bell tower housing the "bell of neutrality." The bell has never been struck because of a sad legend: a baby was accidentally dropped into the molten metal used to cast it. A little further down the slope rises an impressive five-story pagoda, rebuilt in the late 1990s.
Nariaiji Temple is located in the mountains on the north side of the Amanohashidate Sandbar. To get there, take a cable car or chairlift (5 minutes, 400 yen one way, 800 yen round trip) to Kasamatsu Park. From there, shuttle buses run to the temple every 30 minutes (7 minutes, 1120 yen round trip, including temple admission).
How to get to and around Amanohashidate
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 8:00 to 16:30
- Closed
- No closing days
- Admission
- 500 yen (~$3.2) (included in the bus ticket for those using the shuttle bus, but not included in the 2-day sightseeing pass)
- English name
- Original name
- Nariaiji Temple
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.