# Muroji

> Known as Women's Koya for welcoming female worshippers when Mount Koya banned them, this mountain temple features Japan's smallest outdoor five-story pagoda amid towering cedar trees.

- Prefecture: Nara
- Type: Temple
- Address: Uda, Nara, Japan
- Admission: 600 yen
- Official site: https://www.murouji.or.jp/en/

Muroji is a Shingon Buddhist temple on the forested slopes of Mount Muro in Uda City, founded in the late 8th century. It earned the name Women's Koya because it welcomed female worshippers throughout the centuries when the great Shingon headquarters at Mount Koya strictly prohibited women from entering. Its delicate five-story pagoda, standing just over 16 meters, is the smallest outdoor pagoda in Japan and stands gracefully among towering cedar trees, creating one of the most photographed scenes in Nara Prefecture. The Kondo and Mirokudo halls house remarkable early Heian-period Buddhist sculptures with a distinctive, powerful style. Climbing the long stone stairway through the ancient forest to the inner sanctuary feels like a pilgrimage into another age, with each season bringing its own beauty from cherry blossoms and rhododendrons in spring to fiery maples in autumn.

## FAQ

### How do I get to Muroji from Nara or Kyoto?

From Kintetsu Nara, take the Kintetsu Osaka Line east to Muroguchi-Ono Station, 50 minutes (¥760). From Kyoto, transfer at Yamato-Yagi to the Osaka Line to Muroguchi-Ono, about 90 minutes (¥1,360). At the station, the Nara Kotsu bus runs to Muroji-mae stop (15 minutes, ¥430). Buses are infrequent (roughly hourly), so check return times before you leave.

### What's the entry fee and what should I see?

¥600 for adults; open 8:30-17:00 (April to November), 9:00-16:00 (December to March). Highlights: the petite five-story pagoda (16.1 m, smallest outdoor in Japan, 800 AD), the Kondo with Heian-period Important Cultural Property statues, and the Mirokudo. Climbing 700 stone steps to the Oku-no-In takes another 30 minutes one-way and rewards with a mountain shrine. Total visit: 90-120 minutes.

### When is Muroji at its most beautiful?

Mid-April for cherry blossoms and late April to early May for the rhododendrons (shakunage) blooming along the stone steps. Muroji is one of Japan's most famous shakunage destinations with over 3,000 plants. November 10-20 brings maple foliage. Winter snow on the small pagoda is rare but memorable. Avoid summer afternoons; the cedar forest is humid and bus-stop waits brutal.

### Why is it called Women's Koya?

From the 9th century until 1872, Mount Koya, the Shingon sect's main mountain, banned women from entering. Muroji, also Shingon, openly welcomed women throughout that period, becoming the place female pilgrims could practice and study. Today this history is celebrated, and the temple's gentle, less-monumental atmosphere feels intentionally welcoming. Look for the wooden monument at the entrance commemorating its 'Nyonin-Koya' role.

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Source: Muroji — Japan Voyage