What other travelers are saying about (Zenkō-ji) Zenkoji temple
Beautiful temple. Very quiet when I visited. We just bought tickets for the main hall and museum. The pitch black passage was really quite something. You walk through with your hand running along the wall as a guide only. It really is pitch black. Im not religious in the absolute slightest, but it can be quite a spiritual experience if you open yourself up to it.
More about (Zenkō-ji) Zenkoji temple from our blog
Day guides that include (Zenkō-ji) Zenkoji temple
Frequently Asked Questions
You can explore the beautiful main hall, a designated National Treasure, walk through peaceful gardens, and see the Nio Gate with its protective statues. Nearby, there are shops and restaurants where you can try Nagano’s famous soba noodles.
Zenkō-ji is beautiful year-round, but spring with cherry blossoms and autumn with colorful leaves are especially nice. The next Gokaicho ceremony in 2028 will also be a great time to visit.
From Nagano Station, you can reach the temple by bus or on foot in about 30 minutes. Nagano Station is about 90 minutes from Tokyo by the Hokuriku Shinkansen, making it easy to visit.
The original Buddha statue, called the “Hibutsu” or hidden Buddha, is never shown to the public. However, a replica is displayed during a special event called Gokaicho, which takes place once every seven years.
While the temple grounds are free to enter, some areas, such as the main hall and the underground passage, require a small admission fee to help with the temple’s upkeep.
We walked here and it was beautiful. It’s a small temple in the middle of town. If you can, I’d recommend walking to This place as you could see many cute shops and boutique. Don’t forget to turn left then and to take a stroll to the park.
Beautiful temple! It’s a great area to visit and not far from Nagano Station. You can catch bus number 1 from the front of the station. There’s plenty of local food and souvenirs available. Don’t miss out on the Oyaki and Apple Pie
they are Nagano’s famous specialties
This is the most extraordinary Buddhist temple I have ever visited.
As soon as I checked into my hotel, I went for a walk around the city and eventually reached this temple. The moment I arrived, I was enveloped by an overwhelming feeling of happiness — happiness of the highest kind. It was simply indescribable, unlike anything I have ever felt before. Such beauty and such purity.
I attended the morning services every day during my stay in Nagano. They were incredibly beautiful and deeply moving. I felt that I came into contact with something beyond words.
During the services, I met wonderful people who gently guided me and explained what to do. I received a morning blessing from the o-jōsama, when he touches you with prayer beads. It is believed that this touch can replace many hours of spiritual practice, as he passes on his accumulated merit to you.
Please take the time to read about this temple — it is truly remarkable. You can feel the power of prayer there, along with the beauty of this world in its purest form.
It was here that I decided to begin collecting temple stamps (goshuin). I bought my first goshuin book at this temple, as well as several amulets for my loved ones.
Zenkoji temple is a 2km walk (or bus ride) from Nagano station. We walked, looking at the pretty drain covers and ornamental street lamps along the road. There are several impressive temple buildings and gateways along with pretty gardens. We went in the snow, so the ponds were frozen over. Between the gate and main temple are food places selling things like hot sweet potato, oyaki and ice creams. We didn't go inside (ticketed) as we didn't have much time, but would be happy to go back and explore again another day.
