Zenkoji Temple
Zenkoji Temple

Zenkoji Temple

Free admission
491 Naganomotoyoshichō, Nagano, 380-0851

The basics

The temple is a top attraction on many Nagano sightseeing and walking tours. Visitors can enter the temple precincts and outer sanctuary for free but need a ticket to enter the main hall. This structure dates to the 18th century and contains Buddhist statues, an altar, and an underground passage that visitors can traverse in complete darkness, feeling for a key that’s believed to grant salvation. Behind the main temple, a pagoda houses the Zenkoji History Museum with more Buddhist statues.

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1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano
1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano
star-5
$144.77 per adult
Traveler Favorite
Fantastic and perfectly paced tour
We had a great experience with our tour guide Jens. He was very knowledgable about the sights we visited and delivered his knowledge in an interesting and easy to digest way. He was happy to entertain our (many) questions throughout too! The full day tour was very well paced with the perfect balance of guided and free time. We thoroughly enjoyed the same tasting and the restaurant for lunch was delicious hosted in a stunning venue.
lyndseybanthorpe, May 2024
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Things to know before you go

  • Admission is ¥600; students and seniors receive discounts; pre-schoolers enter for free.

  • Restaurants and shops selling specialties and souvenirs line the path to the temple.

  • There are public restrooms just north of the main hall entrance.

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How to get there

The temple is in northwest Nagano, next to Jōyama Park and the Prefectural Art Museum. Nagano is about 1.5 from Tokyo by train on the Nagano Shinkansen line. From Nagano Station, it's a 15-minute ride on any bus departing from bus stop #1 in front of the Zenkoji exit. On foot from the station, it's about a 30-minute walk north.

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When to get there

The temple opens daily one hour before sunrise and closes at various hours depending on the time of year. During winter, from December through February, the temple closes at 4pm; in March and November, it closes at 4:15pm; at all other times, the temple closes at 4:30pm. Sunrise religious services are open to the public. The museum is open daily from 9am to 4pm.

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Religious services at Zenkoji Temple

Visiting Zenkoji during public religious services is a great way to experience the temple. The morning service, or o-asaji in Japanese, takes place in the main hall (*hondo) at sunrise—visitors who wish to attend should arrive before sunrise. The Rosary Blessing, called o-juzu chodai, takes place at the same location four times a day, beginning before sunrise and the first o-asaji of the day. Neither of these services requires tickets or reservations.

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EN
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Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
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