Jakko-in

Temple

Prefecture

Kyoto

Type

Temple

N/A

0 reviews

¥600

Entry Fee

About This Destination

The small Ohara nunnery where Kenreimon-in retired after the Heike were destroyed at Dannoura. The Tale of the Heike closes here, and so does most of the valley's foot traffic.

Jakko-in stands on the western side of the Ohara valley, about 15 minutes' walk from the bus stop and in the opposite direction to Sanzen-in, which is why many visitors never make it here. Its place in Japanese literature is outsized: after the Taira clan was destroyed at Dannoura in 1185, Kenreimon-in, daughter of Taira no Kiyomori and mother of the drowned child emperor, took vows and lived out her life at this temple. The final chapter of the Tale of the Heike is set here, at the moment the retired emperor visits her and finds the woman who had been empress living in a hut behind the hall. The main hall you see today is not the medieval one. An arsonist burned it down on 9 May 2000; the case was never solved and the statute of limitations expired in 2007. The hall was rebuilt in hinoki cypress to the old form and dedicated in June 2005. The original Jizo statue survived, charred, and is kept in a repository on higher ground, shown only on set dates.

Location

Prefecture: Kyoto

Address: Kyoto, Japan

Nearest Station: Ohara bus stop

Best time to visit: Late November for maples over the pond, and early summer when the valley is green and almost empty

View on Google Maps

Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Food Options: Almost nothing at the temple itself. The restaurants and pickle shops are back near the bus stop and on the Sanzen-in approach.

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I combine Jakko-in with Sanzen-in?

Yes, and most people who come to Ohara should. They sit on opposite sides of the valley, about half an hour apart on foot through farmland, and together they make a comfortable half day. Sanzen-in is the garden; Jakko-in is the story. Doing both is what justifies the bus ride from the city.

Is the main hall original?

No. Arson destroyed the hall on 9 May 2000 and it was rebuilt in hinoki cypress to the original form, dedicated in June 2005. The temple is open about this rather than quiet about it. The fire-damaged Jizo statue, an Important Cultural Property, survived and is kept separately in a repository on higher ground, shown only on set dates.

What does it cost and when is it open?

600 yen for adults and high school students, 350 yen for junior high, 100 yen for elementary. Open 9:00 to 17:00, closing 16:30 in winter. The grounds are small, so 30 to 40 minutes is enough unless you sit by the pond.