Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do Temple, located in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture in Japan, was built about 1200 years ago inside a cave. You can see some precious buildings at the site, and also beautiful scenery throughout the year. It is indeed a spot where you can enjoy both historic buildings and beautiful seasonal scenery.
Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture
Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do Temple, located in the world heritage town of Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture, is a temple built into a rock cave that has a history of more than 1,200 years. You can see the hall that was said to have originally enshrined 108 statues of Bishamonten, the god of war and guardian of the north, in commemoration of the 8th century military officer Sakanoue no Tamuramaro's military victory. It is a precious building that has been rebuilt after many fires. Visitors can also see the Buddha statue carved into the cliff, called the Ganmen Daibutsu.
Highlights of Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do
The main highlight of Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do Temple is the appearance of the Bishamon-do Temple building built into the cave itself. It is considered a power spot with a sacred atmosphere. The grounds are also dotted with several historic buildings other than the Bishamon-do. You can see a temple known for the god of money luck, and a hall with a precious Buddha statue enshrined inside it. The Ganmen Daibutsu carving once had a full body image on the side of the cliff, but the section under the shoulders collapsed. Currently, only the face can be seen. Beautiful scenery includes cherry blossoms in the spring, fresh green leaves in the summer, autumn leaves in the autumn, snowy scenery in the winter, and so on. How about visiting historic buildings and the beautiful scenery of the four seasons?
Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do Users Guide
Admission to Tokkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do Temple is 400 yen for adults, 100 yen for middle and high school students, and free for elementary school students and younger. There is free admission from midnight 31st December to 1st January . It generally takes about 30 minutes to see everything. Visiting hours are from 8:00 to 17:00 from 21st March to 3rd November , and from 8:00 to 16:30 from 4th November to 20th March. Open all year round.
How to Get Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do
To get to Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do from within Tokyo, take the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station (about 154 minutes) and get off at Ichinoseki Station. Transfer to JR from Ichinoseki Station (about 7 minutes) and get off at Hiraizumi Station. About 10 minutes by taxi from Hiraizumi Station.
Spot Information
- Spot name: Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamon-do Temple
- Street Address: 16 Kitazawa, Hiraizumi, Hiraizumi-cho, Nishiwai-gun, Iwate
- Access: Tokyo Station → [Shinkansen] approximately 154 minutes → Ichinoseki Station → [JR] approximately 7 minutes → Hiraizumi Station → [Taxi] approximately 10 minutes
- Wi-Fi: Unavailable
- Language: Japanese only
- Ticket: Ticket window
- Credit cards: No Credit cards accepted
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