Chion-in

Chion-in is the headquarters of the Jodo (Pure Land) sect of Japanese Buddhism, established in 1234 at the site where the sect's founder Honen taught and eventually died. The temple's colossal Sanmon gate, standing 24 meters high and built in 1621, is the largest temple gate in Japan and a designated National Treasure. The Mieido main hall, rebuilt in 2020 after a nine-year restoration, is one of the largest wooden structures in the world and can accommodate thousands of worshippers. The temple is famous for its Seven Wonders, including a nightingale floor designed to alert monks to intruders and an umbrella left by a master carpenter in the rafters as a talisman. The bell at Chion-in, cast in 1636, is one of the largest in Japan and its ringing on New Year's Eve is broadcast nationally. The sweeping temple grounds encompass the hillside of Higashiyama with two exquisite gardens.