Temple Buildings

The Amida Hall (Amida-dō) is the hall which houses the statue of Amida Tathāgata (Buddha), which is the primary object of veneration in the Jōdo Shinshū (“the Pure Land as the true essence of the Buddha’s teachings” or Shin Buddhism) tradition. This hall measures 52 m (171 ft.) in length, 47 m (154 ft.) in width, and 29 m (95 ft.) in height. It has a single-layered “hip-and-gable” roof, which is covered with 10,800 roof tiles.
The altar area of the hall, which is entirely gilded with gold leaf, represents the world of the Buddha’s enlightenment as depicted in a sutra titled the Amida Sutra. The statue of Amida Tathāgata, on the other hand, is the personified symbol of the Great Wisdom and Compassion that are beyond our human conception. Overall, the altar area of the hall is the manifestation of the Buddha’s Original Wish (hongan) to guide us to full and perfect enlightenment. The floor of the hall is covered with 418 tatami mats.
As with the Founders Hall, the reconstruction of the present Amida Hall was begun in 1879 and completed in 1895. Also, with the renovation undertaken from 2012 through 2015, the original elegance of this building has been restored.

The Founder’s Hall Gate (Goei-dō-mon) is the main gate to the Higashi Honganji temple compound. On the outside of the upper part of the gate is hung a framed piece of calligraphy that reads “Shinshū Honbyō,” the official name of the temple complex. This gate measures 21 m (69 ft.) in length, 13 m (43 ft.) in width, and 27 m (89 ft.) in height. This gate has a two-storied structure at its center with one-storied structures attached on both sides. The construction of the gate began in 1907 and was completed in 1911.Inside the chamber on the upper floor, three Buddhist figures are enshrined: the statues of Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha), Bodhisattva Maitreya (the future Buddha), and Ānanda (a principal disciple of Shakyamuni). Those figures represent a scene from the Sutra on Immeasurable Life, the fundamental text of the Jōdo Shinshū tradition, where Shakyamuni is preaching to Maitreya and Ānanda. The idea is that as one passes through the gate, one symbolically enters the world of Shinran’s teaching through the message of the Sutra of Immeasurable Life.

The Gallery is an exhibition space of the Higashi Honganji, which is located next to the Sanpai Settai-sho (Temple Services Reception Center). It presents a permanent exhibition of the life of Shinran (1173–1262), who clarified the teaching of Jōdo Shinshū (the True Essence of Pure Land) tradition. The descriptions of the exhibits are given in English and Japanese. There are also special exhibitions held several times a year. The Gallery is open to the public and the admission is free.
The Gallery also functions as the entrance to the Audiovisual Hall where a variety of events are held such as public lectures, dharma talk sessions, and symposiums. The structure including the Audiovisual Hall and Gallery was built in 1998 in commemoration of the 500th Memorial for Rennyo (1415–1499), who is revered as the second founder of the Jōdo Shinshū tradition. The hall was designed by the world-famous architect Shin Takamatsu (b. 1948), who is known for his futuristic architectural design. Although the entire hall is built below the ground level, an abundance of natural light is allowed into the structure so that it provides visitors a sense of openness. The hall has become a famous site in Kyoto.

In 1272, ten years after Shinran’s death, his daughter Kakushin-ni and her husband moved Shinran’s gravesite to their own parcel of land and built a memorial hall where his ashes and image were enshrined. This memorial hall eventually became the original Honganji temple. When Rennyo (1415–1499) was the head priest of the temple, the Honganji was destroyed and he had to move around from one place to another where he continued to lay the foundations of the sangha through his propagation efforts. He eventually rebuilt the Honganji temple in Yamashina, Kyoto and later in Osaka as well, both of which would be destroyed in conflicts again.

During those times, Shinran’s ashes are believed to have been protected at the original site of the Honganji by a follower’s family for generations, though they also had to evacuate their place a few times due to the conflicts. After the Higashi Honganji was established at its present site in 1603, a temporary memorial hall was built in the temple precincts where the ashes of Shinran and his descendants were enshrined.

In the 1660s, the temple acquired a parcel of land at the present site of the Ōtani Mausoleum (Ōtani Sobyō), which is close to the original burial site of Shinran, and relocated the ashes of Shinran and others there in 1670. This is the beginning of today’s Ōtani Mausoleum. After its establishment, the mausoleum went through a number of renovations. In the 1800s, it acquired an additional parcel of land of about 8 acres, by which the precincts of the Ōtani Mausoleum were significantly expanded.

• Address

  477 Maruyama-chō, Higashiyama-ku,
  Kyoto, Kyoto 605-0071, Japan

  Getting Here

  • 10 min walk from Gion bus stop
  • 15 min walk from Gion-Shijō Station of Keihan Railway
  • 20 min walk from Kawara-machi Station of Hankyū Railway Kyoto Line

• Hours

  • Daily

    5 am to 5 pm

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Shōsei-en Garden