Higashi Honganji
京都市下京区烏丸通七条上るOpen in Google Maps ↗Official site ↗
Higashi Honganji (formal name: Shinshu Honbyo) is the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Otani school, at Karasuma Shichi-jo agaru, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 600-8505. Admission is free. It is open 5:50 am–5:30 pm from March to October and 6:20 am–4:30 pm from November to February, about a 7-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station.
Before you go
The head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Otani school; its formal name is Shinshu Honbyo, commonly called Higashi Honganji. Admission is free and the grounds are open to the public during opening hours. The temple publishes a monthly morning-service schedule, and visitors are asked to follow the posted etiquette: no smoking or open flames in the precincts, no food or drink in the halls, no photography during services, and shoes removed before entering the buildings.
- Head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Otani school (formal name: Shinshu Honbyo)
- Free admission, open daily
- Early-morning services with a published monthly schedule
- Vast wooden halls (Goei-do and Amida-do)
- 7 minutes on foot from JR Kyoto Station
- Getting there
- Karasuma Shichi-jo agaru, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto 600-8505. 7 min walk from JR Kyoto Station, 5 min from Karasuma Subway Gojo Station, 1 min from the Karasuma-Shichijo bus stop (official English site).
- Booking
- No reservation needed; the grounds are open to the public and admission is free.
- Crowds
- Major annual services such as the Hoonko memorial (the official site runs a dedicated Hoonko page) draw larger crowds.
- Good for
- Early risers wanting a morning service, architecture lovers, and anyone looking for a major free sight near Kyoto Station.
- How it differs
- Together with Nishi Honganji, it is one of the two great Honganji temples just north of Kyoto Station, and both are free to enter. Higashi Honganji is known for its early-morning services and its vast wooden halls; check the official site for major annual services such as the November Hoonko memorial.
What are the opening hours?
March to October: 5:50 am–5:30 pm; November to February: 6:20 am–4:30 pm (official English site).
Is there an admission fee?
Free.
Can I attend the morning service?
Morning services are held; the official site publishes a monthly morning-service schedule.
Can I take photos inside?
Photography and video are not allowed during services and rituals in the halls, and flash is prohibited in the halls (official etiquette).
Sources Higashi Honganji official English site · Higashi Honganji official Japanese site
- Observe the posted etiquette: remove shoes before entering buildings, leave wheeled luggage and strollers in the designated area
- Donations are welcomed in the offering box
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