We’ve looked into the top 10 largest traditional wooden temples in Kyoto.
Size was ranked by area (width x depth). We did not rank the buildings by volume because some of the buildings have unknown heights and some have only parts of their roofs that are tall.
Please use this as reference information for your trip to Kyoto. For information and maps about each temple, please see the links at the bottom of the article.
Top 10 Largest Wooden Temples in Kyoto
1st place : Goeido Hall of Higashi-Honganji Temple
The largest wooden building in Kyoto is the Goeido Hall of Higashi-Honganji Temple. It is 76m (249 ft) wide, 58m (190 ft) depth, and 38m (125 ft) high, with an area of 4,408m2 (47,310 sq.ft).
After it burned down, the current building was rebuilt in 1895. It has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.
This is the central building of Higashi Honganji Temple and enshrines a statue of Shinran, the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect.
It is located within a short walking distance from Kyoto Station. This hall is free to enter.
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Higashi-Honganji temple (Kyoto) : Huge wooden buildings
Higashi-Honganji is the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Otani sect. It is located very close to Kyoto Station. There are many buildings designated as important cultural properties within the temple grounds. The Goeido (Main) Hall is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.
2nd place : Goeido Hall of Nishi-Honganji Temple
Second place goes to the Goeido Hall of Nishi-Honganji Temple. It is 62m (203 ft) wide, 48m (157 ft) depth, and 29m (95 ft) high, with an area of 2,976m2 (31,871 sq.ft).
The hall was built in 1636 and is designated as a national treasure of Japan. A statue of Shinran, the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect, is enshrined here. This hall is free to enter.
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Nishi-Honganji temple (Kyoto) : Massive main hall , Relics
It is the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Honganji sect. The Goei-do Hall and Amida-do Hall are designated as national treasures. You can enter these halls between 5:30am and 5:00pm. Although it is hard to find, Karamon Gate was amazing. There were many auspicious carvings of sacred animals.
3rd place : Main Hall of Sanjusangendo Temple
The main hall of Sanjusangendo is very wide. It is 120m (394 ft) wide, 22m (72 ft) depth, and 16m (52 ft) high, with an area of 2,640m2 (28,368 sq.ft). This hall is designated as a national treasure.
Inside this hall, there are 1,000 Thousand-Armed Kannon statues lined up, creating a spectacular sight.
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Sanjusangendo temple (Kyoto) : A Thousand Buddha Statues
The main hall of Sanjusangendo was built in 1164. It was later destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt in 1266 and remains as it is today. Inside the hall, there are 1,000 Thousand-Armed Kannon (Sahasrabhuja) statues lined up. The main hall and the group of Buddhist statues are all designated as national treasures.
4th place : Amida Hall of Higashi-Honganji Temple
This hall is located next to the number one ranked Higashi-Honganji Goeido Hall. It is 52m (171 ft) wide, 47m (154 ft) depth, and 29m (95 ft) high, with an area of 2,444m2 (26,334 sq.ft).
This hall was also built in 1895 and is designated as an Important Cultural Property.
more information
Higashi-Honganji temple (Kyoto) : Huge wooden buildings
Higashi-Honganji is the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Otani sect. It is located very close to Kyoto Station. There are many buildings designated as important cultural properties within the temple grounds. The Goeido (Main) Hall is one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.
5th place : Amida Hall of Nishi-Honganji Temple
It is 45m (148 ft) wide, 42m (138 ft) depth, and 25m (82 ft) high, with an area of 1,890m2 (20,424 sq.ft). This hall was built in 1760 and is designated a national treasure.
Four of the top five places are halls at Higashi-Honganji Temple and Nishi-Honganji Temple. The two temples are within walking distance, so we recommend visiting both.
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Nishi-Honganji temple (Kyoto) : Massive main hall , Relics
It is the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Honganji sect. The Goei-do Hall and Amida-do Hall are designated as national treasures. You can enter these halls between 5:30am and 5:00pm. Although it is hard to find, Karamon Gate was amazing. There were many auspicious carvings of sacred animals.
6th place : Mieido Hall of Chionin Temple
Chionin Temple is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhism, and the Mieido Hall is its central hall.
It is 45m (148 ft) wide, 35m (115 ft) depth, and 28m (92 ft) high, with an area of 1,575m2 (17,020 sq.ft). It was built in 1639 by the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, and is designated a national treasure.
It is possible to enter this hall to pray or attend morning services.
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Chionin temple (Kyoto) : Huge sanmon, main hall, and hidden gem
Chionin Temple began in 1175 when the monk Honen built a hermitage there. It is now a huge temple and is the head temple of the Jodo sect. There are two Japanese national treasure buildings within the temple grounds. Services are held here every morning and you can attend.
7th place : Sanmon Gate of Chionin Temple
The top six places are all halls, but this is the highest ranking gate.It is 50m (164 ft) wide, 23m (75 ft) depth, and 24m (79 ft) high, with an area of 1,150 m2 (12,300 sq.ft).
It was built in 1621 by order of the second Tokugawa Shogun, Hidetada, and is designated a national treasure.
This gate is usually open to the public at all times. The upper echelons are not allowed inside, but there are times when it is open to the public for special viewing.
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Chionin temple (Kyoto) : Huge sanmon, main hall, and hidden gem
Chionin Temple began in 1175 when the monk Honen built a hermitage there. It is now a huge temple and is the head temple of the Jodo sect. There are two Japanese national treasure buildings within the temple grounds. Services are held here every morning and you can attend.
8th place : Main Hall of Kiyomizu-dera Temple
This is the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which has a unique structure built on top of a cliff. It is 36m (118 ft) wide, 30m (98 ft) depth, and 18m (59 ft) high, with an area of 1,080m2 (11,564 sq.ft).
It was rebuilt in 1633 with a donation from the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu. It is a valuable building in Japanese architectural history and has been designated a national treasure.
In Japan, doing something bold is said to be “jumping off the stage at Kiyomizu.” The stage that projects from the main hall is 13 meters high, equivalent to the height of a four-story building. According to old records, 234 people have jumped from here, of which 34 died, giving a survival rate of about 85%.
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Kiyomizu-dera temple (Kyoto) : Building on a cliff
Kiyomizu-dera Temple was founded in 778. There are over 30 buildings within the temple grounds, including national treasures and important cultural properties. The most popular attraction at Kiyomizu-dera Temple is the stage in front of the main hall. It is built on a cliff and is 13 metres (42.65 feet) high.
9th place : Zen Hall of Tofukuji Temple
Tofukuji Temple is the head temple of the Tofukuji branch of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism. The Zen Hall is 42m (138 ft) wide, 22m (72 ft) depth and has an area of 924m2 (9,936 sq.ft). The height is unknown.
Rebuilt in 1347, it is the oldest and largest zazen training center in Japan. It has been designated an Important Cultural Property. In the past, more than 400 monks trained here.
The main hall located nearby is a larger building than this Zen hall. However, this is a newer building, built in 1934 (though it is still nearly 100 years old), so we have excluded it from the ranking.
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Tofukuji temple (Kyoto) : Three ancient wooden bridges
Tofukuji Temple is the head temple of the Tofukuji branch of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism and was founded in 1236. The Sanmon Gate is designated as a national treasure of Japan. Tofukuji Temple has three wooden bridges. During the autumn foliage season you can see some very beautiful scenery.
10th place : Kondo Hall of Toji Temple
Toji Temple is the head temple of the Shingon sect. The Kondo Hall is positioned as the main hall. It is 34m (112 ft) wide, 18m (59 ft) depth and has an area of 612m2 (6,608 sq.ft). The height is unknown.
Enshrined inside is the Yakushi Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru) statue, the principal image of the temple, as well as the Suryaprabha and Candraprabha. The Yakushi Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru) statue is a huge Buddha statue that is 2.88 m (9.45 ft) tall.
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Toji temple (Kyoto) : Beautiful pagoda , Buddha statues , Kobo Market
Toji means the temple in the east. It was built on the east side of the city 1,200 years ago when Kyoto was founded. The five-story pagoda stands 55 metres (180 feet) and is the tallest wooden structure in Japan. There are many Buddha statues lined up in the Kodo hall.
