Temple · Saga-Toriimoto / Arashiyama
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji 愛宕念仏寺
A mossy hillside temple at the far end of Saga-Toriimoto populated by 1,200 rakan statues carved by amateurs, each with its own face: laughing, drinking sake, holding a camera or a tennis racket.
About
Otagi Nenbutsu-ji was founded in the 8th century in Higashiyama, repeatedly destroyed by floods, and moved to this remote spot below Mt. Atago in 1922. It was in ruin until the sculptor-priest Kocho Nishimura became abbot in 1955; to revive it he invited ordinary worshippers to carve rakan, the disciples of the Buddha, and between 1981 and 1991 they produced 1,200 stone figures. Now softened by moss and lichen, they cover the slopes in comic, touching and eccentric poses, from a couple sharing a drink to a figure with headphones. The Kamakura-period main hall is an Important Cultural Property, and the bell can be rung by visitors. The temple is a 20-minute walk beyond the tourist core of Arashiyama, along the preserved Saga-Toriimoto street of thatched houses, which is half the pleasure of coming. Note: reports indicate that the admission fee rose to 1,000 yen from April 2026.
Highlights
- 1,200 moss-covered rakan statues each with a unique expression
- Kamakura-period main hall, an Important Cultural Property
- Walk through the thatched-roof Saga-Toriimoto preservation district
- Ringing the temple bell
- Quiet compared with central Arashiyama
Tips
- Take Kyoto Bus 62, 72 or 94 to Otagi-dera-mae, then walk back down through Toriimoto to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji and Arashiyama.
- The statues look best after rain, when the moss glows.
- Search the slopes for the statue holding a camera: a fun scavenger hunt.
- Children 10 and under are reported to be free under the new fee structure.
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09
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