Byōdo-in Temple
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
- Uji Station · 10 min walk (JR Nara Line, Keihan Uji Line)
- Hours
- Garden: 8:45–17:30 (last entry 17:15); Museum Hoshokan: 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:45); Phoenix Hall interior: 9:30–16:10
- Admission
- ¥700 (adults), ¥400 (junior high and high school students), ¥300 (elementary school students); Phoenix Hall interior admission: ¥300
- Time needed
- 50–90 min
- Best time to go
- Morning, when the east-facing Phoenix Hall receives direct frontal sunlight across the pond rather than being backlit
Hours can change on holidays — check the official site before travelling.
About
Originally built in 998 as a villa and later converted into a temple, Byōdo-in's spectacular Phoenix Hall is so iconic it is minted on the Japanese 10-yen coin. Visitors can admire the symmetrical Amida Hall reflected in the pristine pure-land garden pond and explore the modern, underground Hoshokan Museum housing national treasures. It is an essential stop for those seeking breathtaking Heian-period architecture and deep Buddhist history.
What Japanese guides note
Phoenix Hall faces due east, making morning the optimal time to view and photograph the facade illuminated by direct sunlight before it becomes backlit in the afternoon. The wing corridors extending from either side are purely architectural and symbolic depictions of a Pure Land palace rather than walkable hallways. Visitors intending to see the interior should proceed directly to the internal reception kiosk inside the garden upon arrival, as timed admission slots often book out completely by midday on weekends.
Details from local sources
- The seated Amida Tathagata inside the Phoenix Hall is the sole surviving Buddhist sculpture conclusively verified to be the handiwork of Heian-period master sculptor Jōchō. [source]
- Minamoto no Yorimasa committed ritual suicide at the precinct lawn known as Ōgi no Shiba in 1180 following defeat at the Battle of Uji, establishing the historical prototype for warrior seppuku. [source]
- To prevent environmental degradation from air pollution, both original 11th-century roof phoenixes and 26 of the 52 wooden worshiping Bodhisattvas on Clouds were relocated into the underground Hoshokan Museum. [source]
- Opened on March 1, 2001, the predominantly subterranean Museum Hoshokan was the first comprehensive registered museum in Japan established and operated by a religious corporation. [source]
Insider Tip
Purchase your separate ticket for the Phoenix Hall interior tour immediately upon arrival, as these timed slots sell out quickly.
Frequently asked
How can I purchase tickets to enter the inside of the Phoenix Hall?
Interior admission tickets cost ¥300 per person and are sold exclusively on-site from 9:10 at the garden reception kiosk. Entry is conducted in 20-minute intervals capped at 50 visitors per session between 9:30 and 16:10, and daily quotas regularly sell out early on busy days.
Can I reserve Phoenix Hall interior tour slots in advance online?
No, advance bookings by internet, telephone, or email are not offered. All interior admission slots must be secured in person on the day of visit at the garden ticket booth on a first-come, first-served basis, with ticket sales concluding once the daily allotment is exhausted.
Are guided Phoenix Hall interior tours conducted in English?
The staff member accompanying the Phoenix Hall interior tour speaks strictly in Japanese. However, printed English informational pamphlets explaining the hall's history, the Amida Buddha statue, and surrounding treasures are provided upon request at the internal admission reception counter before entering the building.
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