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Byodo-in Phoenix Hall

Byodo-inPhoenix Hall10-yen coinUNESCOPure Land

Photo: Hikomi Moneru / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Byodo-in Temple (平等院) features the Phoenix Hall (鳳凰堂, Hōōdō), a National Treasure depicted on Japan's 10-yen coin and 10,000-yen note. The architecture represents the ultimate expression of Heian-period (794–1185) aesthetics — graceful, aristocratic, and otherworldly.

The hall houses a 3-meter-tall golden Amida Buddha statue (also National Treasure) surrounded by 52 wooden bodhisattva figures appearing to fly through clouds on the walls — a frozen moment of celestial beings descending to welcome souls to paradise.

Essential Information

Opening Hours

8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (until 5:00 PM in winter)

Closed: Open year-round

Entrance Fee

¥600 (garden + exterior) | ¥300 additional for Phoenix Hall interior (guided tour, 20-person max)

Best Season

Spring (April, wisteria over pond) | Autumn (November, maple foliage frames hall)

Visit Duration

45–60 minutes

Getting There

Access Information

116 Uji Renge, Uji City. Near JR Uji Station or Keihan Uji Station. Entry: ¥600 (garden + exterior), ¥300 additional for Phoenix Hall interior (20-person guided tours every 20 min, Japanese only). Visit duration: 45-60 minutes.

Insider Guide

Premium

**Phoenix Hall interior tour:** The ¥300 interior tour (20 people max, 15 minutes) allows close viewing of the golden Amida Buddha and 52 flying bodhisattvas — rare access to a National Treasure interior. Tours depart every 20 minutes; arrive early to secure spot (first-come basis). Photography prohibited inside but the guided explanation (Japanese only, English pamphlet provided) is worth experiencing the space even without understanding narration. **Pond reflection photography:** The Phoenix Hall's reflection in Aji Pond creates the classic postcard image. Best timing: early morning (8:30–10:00) when water is calm before wind ripples the surface. The building faces east, making morning light ideal. Spring wisteria (late April) drapes purple flowers over the pond's edge; autumn maples (November) frame the hall in red. **Museum highlights:** The attached Hoshokan Museum (鳳翔館) displays original temple treasures including phoenix roof ornaments (the hall's current phoenixes are replicas), 14th-century bronze bells, and explanatory exhibits on Pure Land Buddhism.

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