Tour Temples and Shrines

1-Day Route

This route takes you to temples and shrines where the people of Japan have long worshipped. Spend a full day visiting four temples and shrines — Jindaiji temple, Okunitama Jinja shrine, Takahata Fudoson temple, and Takaosan Yakuou-in temple — and their neighborhoods.

Notes: Times indicated for travel between locations are calculated by weekday averages; Prices are current as of August 2019.

Start!

01Start at Tsutsujigaoka
Station

From Shinjuku Station, it takes approx. 20 minutes to Tsutsujigaoka Station on the Keiō Line in Chofu, Tokyo.

Take the bus to Jindaiji
temple

To get from Tsutsujigaoka Station to Jindaiji temple, take the bus bound for Jindaiji from the bus stop at Tsutsujigaoka Station North Exit . Get off at Jindaiji bus stop. The bus trip takes about 20 minutes.

02Jindaiji Temple

This is one of Kanto’s preeminent ancient temples with a history of some 1,300 years. Known as a temple for finding good fortune and marriage, its many highlights include the Main Hall with its carved phoenix and a hidden Buddha in the Ganzandaishi Hall that protects against misfortune.

Don’t miss the statue of Buddha, a national treasure, at the nearby Shakado Hall. The 83.9cm gilt bronze statue has a friendly expression and a handsome face.

●Admission: Free * Some fees may apply.
●Closed: Open year-round
●URL:
https://www.jindaiji.or.jp/en/

Walk
Eat the famed Jindaiji soba

Long known for its “Jindaiji soba,” the area around Jindaiji temple is home to more than 20 soba restaurants. Don’t miss the opportunity to try noodles at any of these famous shops.

Walk
03 Musashino Jindaiji Kiln

This ceramics studio and shop in front of Jindaiji temple is filled with Jindaiji ceramics and clay temple bells. The shop offers an unusual opportunity in Tokyo to try decorating your own Rakuyaki pottery, which is fired and ready in about 20 minutes.

The Rakuyaki Course is popular with tourists, who can choose from among over 100 types of unglazed pottery, including plates and teacups. Decorate your chosen piece, which will be ready after about 20 minutes in the kiln.

●Prices: From 250 yen
* Reservations not required
●Closed: Open year-round
●URL:https://jindaijigama.jp/
*Japanese only

Walk about 1-min.
04 Kitaro Chaya Teahouse

A café inspired by the manga GeGeGe no Kitaro. Each nook and cranny of the wooden shop features the characters from this comic. Before you even pass through the door, you’ll feel as if you’re in a whole other world.

With sweets and confections on center stage, even the menu is based on GeGeGe no Kitaro characters. Café and souvenir shop on the first floor; gallery on the second floor.

●Prices: From 200 yen * Varies by dish
●Closed: Mondays (following day if Monday is public holiday)
●URL: http://kitaro-chaya.jp/
*Japanese only

Take the bus to
Tsutsujigaoka Station

To get to Tsutsujigaoka Station from Jindaiji temple, take the bus bound for Tsutsujigaoka Station at the Jindaiji bus stop. Get off at the Tsutsujigaoka Station North Exit bus stop .

Take the train from
Tsutsujigaoka Station to
Fuchū Station

To get to Tsutsujigaoka Station from Jindaiji temple, take the bus bound for Tsutsujigaoka Station at the Jindaiji bus stop. Get off at the Tsutsujigaoka Station North Exit bus stop .

About a 5-min. walk from
Fuchū Station
05 Okunitama Jinja Shrine

Surrounded by a lush green grove, this renowned shrine boasts a history of over 1,900 years. The Okunitama-no-okami deity, known as the guardian deity of marriage and protector against misfortune, is enshrined here.

Don’t miss the sacred ginkgo tree, over 1,000 years old, standing behind the main shrine hall. Prayers to the tree are said to grant a quick recovery after childbirth.

●Admission: Free
●Closed: Open year-round
●URL:
https://www.ookunitamajinja.or.jp/
*Japanese only

Walk about 2-min.
06 Kura Café

Housed in a historical and grand sake brewery near Okunitama-jinja Shrine, the building was renovated for this interesting café. Featuring large columns and antique rural furniture, the interior is designed for a distinct retro feel.

The menu highlights are cakes and mildly sweet sakekasu lattes made with sake lees from Kouzuru , a local sake out of Noguchi Brewery in Fuchu. The café also serves lunch made with fresh local ingredients.

●Prices: Sakekasu Latte 600 yen,
cakes from 400 yen
●Closed: Wednesdays and Sundays
●URL: None

About an 8-min. walk to
Fuchū Station
Take the train from
Fuchū Station to
Takahatafudō Station

The train takes about 10 minutes from Fuchū Station to Takahatafudō Station.

About a 3-min. walk to
Takahatafudō Station
07 Takahata Fudoson
Temple

This temple is the special head temple of the Chisan sect of Shingon Buddhism. The spacious grounds measure about 100,000 square meters, and house features some 20,000 important cultural properties, including the Nio-mon Gate built in the Muromachi period and the 45-meter tall, five-storied pagoda.

Takahata Fudoson is considered one of the three head temples in the Kanto region dedicated to Fudoson (Acala). The temple’s most important scripture, the giant Joroku Fudo Sanson, weighs over 1,100kg.

●Admission: Free
Fees: Okuden Hall 300 yen Dainichido Hall 200 yen
●Closed: Open year-round
●URL:
https://www.takahatafudoson.or.jp/
*Japanese only

About a 3-min. walk to
Takahatafudō Station
Take the train from
Takahatafudō Station to
Takaosanguchi Station

The train takes about 20 minutes from Takahatafudō Station to Takaosanguchi Station. If taking a train bound for Keiō-hachiōji Station, you must transfer at Kitano Station to a train bound for Takaosanguchi Station.

About an 8-min. walk from
Takaosanguchi Station to
Kiyotaki Station
Take the cable car from
Kiyotaki Station to
Takaosan Station

The cable car shuttles passengers from Kiyotaki Station at the foot of Mt. Takao to Takaosan Station halfway up the mountain. The trip takes about 6 minutes. For more information, visit the official website.

Takao Tozan Railway
https://www.takaotozan.co.jp/timeprice/

About a 20-min. walk from
Takaosan Station to
Takaosan Yakuou-in temple
08 Takao-san Yakuo-in

Situated halfway up Mt. Takao, this is one of the three head temples of the Chisan sect of Shingon Buddhism in Kanto region. Founded by the high priest Gyoki who constructed Todaiji temple in Nara, it is also known for the worship of tengu—the long-nosed, red-faced beings who serve as messengers to the deities.

At Takaosan Yakuou-in temple, visitors are welcome to experience a bit of Buddhist training at the monthly Shakyo (Sutra transcibing) meeting, which is held on the fourth Saturday of every month. The temple also serves Buddhist vegetarian meals.

* For the Shakyo meeting, visitors are advised to inquire in advance about available space.
* Reservations are required for vegetarian meals.

●Admission: Free
* Fees are charged for participation in the Shakyo meeting and meals.
●Closed: Open year-round
●URL:https://www.takaosan.or.jp/english/

Walk from Takaosan
Yakuou-in temple to
Sanjo Station
Take the chairlift from
Sanjo Station to
Sanroku Station

The return to the base of the mountain by chairlift offers particularly spectacular views of the mountain below. The trip takes about 12 minutes. For more information, visit the official website.

Takao Tozan Railway
https://www.takaotozan.co.jp/timeprice/

Walk from Sanroku Station
to Takaosanguchi Station

Finish!

Check route on map.