Higashi Honganji Official Tour: Gates, Halls & Sutra Copying

Higashi Honganji Official Tour:
Gates, Halls & Sutra Copying

Summary

Join the official tour of Higashi Honganji. Compare its historic gates, sit in a vast wooden hall, and copy a sutra in a room closed to the public.

Duration

90 min
9:00–10:30 / 15:00–16:30

Price

8,000 JPY / Person

Meeting Point (Map)

Goeidō-mon Gate, Higashi Honganji

Number of People

1–12 people

Private Tour

・Minimum price for private reservations = 4 people
・Price for private reservations for 5 or more people = price per person
・Maximum number of people for private reservations

Including

Official tour of Higashi Honganji with an English-speaking guide
Special access to the Omote-Koshoin, a hall normally closed to the public
Sutra copying session with all materials (you can take your sheet home)
Donation to Higashi Honganji for the preservation of its cultural properties

Itinerary

📍 Meeting at the Goeidō-mon Gate

We meet under the Goeidō-mon, one of the largest wooden gates in Japan at about 27 m tall. Your guide introduces Higashi Honganji, the head temple of the Shinshū Ōtani-ha school of Shin Buddhism, and today’s theme: reading the temple through its gates.

📍 Amidadō-mon Gate

We compare this gate with the Goeidō-mon. Its curved karahafu gables, cypress-bark roof and fine carvings show a very different side of temple design.

📍 Amida Hall

Before entering, we learn simple etiquette for visiting a place of worship. Inside, you can sit quietly before Amida Buddha and, if you wish, join in saying “Namu Amida Butsu.”

📍 Founder's Hall (Goeidō)

We step into one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, with 927 tatami mats and room for about 3,000 people. In the corridor you will see the “kezuna,” giant ropes woven from hair donated by followers across Japan to rebuild the hall in the Meiji era.

📍 Kiku-mon (Imperial Messenger Gate)

Outside the temple grounds, we visit the black-lacquered gate built to receive messengers of the Emperor. Look for the heart-shaped “inome” motif, a traditional charm against fire.

📍 Genkan-mon & Naiji-mon Gates

We compare two more gates with very different purposes: the formal entrance gate used for ceremonies, and the gate to the temple’s living quarters with its white-latticed namako walls.

📍 Omote-Koshoin & Sutra Copying

We pass through the Ōgenkan entrance, the oldest building at the temple, and the long corridors that connect its halls. In the Omote-Koshoin, normally closed to the public, you slowly trace a passage of Buddhist scripture and take your sheet home.

Tour Features

Comments from the planner

Higashi Honganji is right next to Kyoto Station, yet many travelers walk past it. Its huge halls and six gates tell the story of a temple that has been rebuilt again and again by its followers. We created this official tour with the temple so that our guests can see that story up close, and finish with a quiet moment of sutra copying in a hall that is usually closed.

Private & Small Group Tours Just for You!

We are available for private tours and tour arrangements! We welcome small groups such as families and groups of friends!

FAQ

Do I need to be Buddhist to join?

No. Everyone is welcome. Higashi Honganji is a living place of worship, so we simply ask you to be respectful. Joining in prayers is completely optional.

Can I take photos?

Yes, photos are allowed inside the halls, including with flash. The only exception is during religious services, when photography is not allowed.

Do I need any experience with calligraphy or Japanese?

No. You trace printed characters with a brush pen at your own pace, and your guide explains the meaning of the passage. You can take your sheet home as a souvenir.

What should I wear?

You will take off your shoes when entering the halls, so we recommend wearing socks and shoes that are easy to remove.