Katsuoji

The most beautiful Buddhist temple in Osaka. Kids love it. Prayer sessions are active, and we even met a Buddhist monk chanting enchanting sutras. The best time to visit is from January to March or during autumn. Tip: Go early and head to the end of the red line. Transfer to a bus (there is no local train)—Google Maps is incorrect. If you miss the bus, there is a taxi stand right beside it.

This temple has to be my favorite in all of Japan and I've been to lots of temples in Japan! We went in the fall and I would say you can't beat this temple in the fall. The best time to go hands down. We also arrived a little before 11 AM and there was absolutely no wait to get in. We didn't buy tickets in advance either. But by the time we left, close to 1 PM, there was an insane line to get in. Probably close to an hour wait or longer. So I recommend going as early as possible. This temple is definitely way outside of Osaka but it's worth the journey. It's a very easy journey, just two busses to get there from the middle of Osaka! Don't skip this temple when you are visiting Osaka or even Kyoto! We went the beginning of December for reference.

It was great but the secret is out! We were expecting the crowds to be small but there were quite a few people here so be prepared. You can take a bus that cost 800 yen per person one way. Check the bus time tables on your way back or you can grab one of the taxis that are waiting by the exit. It was a great experience but definitely a tourist trap. I’d avoid buying souvenirs here as they are marked up quite a bit. It was a nice day trip if you can get past a lot of the obnoxious tourists.

We brought a wheelchair-bound elderly along, half expecting it wouldn’t be possible for her to visit the whole site. It turned out that apart from the 勝ちダルマ奉納棚, the whole temple is pretty much wheelchair friendly. You just need someone to push real hard up the slopes.

so cute! make sure you check out the hiking paths when you leave. you can see a waterfall and insect museum not too far away. no need to wait for a bus like everyone. very peaceful hike.

Worth a visit! The temple area is beautiful and the daruma figurines are EVERYWHERE. Super photogenic area, and at the same time very spiritual. It's not recommend for those in wheelchairs or issues walking, but if you are mobile then it's relatively easy to get around. The postcard you get with the ticket is worth the ticket price alone. It's a fun little activity and a beautiful venue. A bit hard to get to, be sure to check the bus schedule to get out there and back (bus 29/30) as it has a limited run, if you miss it you'll be waiting 2 hours +.

What a beautiful temple! Full of darumas which are fascinating to look at and learn about. Worth the journey from wherever you are. Make sure you check the bus times for the return. We got the penultimate bus back to the nearby train station. At the temple there is a fee to enter.

Great place to visit, all the dumuras are very cool . Remain respectful of the workers and locals who enjoy the peace. Reccomend getting an uber as the walk isn’t too suitable. Uber to train station cost around 3000 yen

A MUST see when visiting Japan, specifically Osaka. An easy train ride from Osaka Namba station - no platform changes - Katsuoji temple is truly a gem. Note : the cheapest way to get to the temple is taking the local bus that goes straight to the temple. The roads from the train station to the temple are long and uphill. You will either want to take a bus or taxi. The bus only has a few trips a day to the temple so you may be waiting a while. We waited about 2 hours for the next bus. It was so worth it. The temple grounds are extremely peaceful and we were lucky that it wasn't crowded at all. The daruma were all over the grounds and it was beautiful. Highly recommend!

Finally arrived here after 6 hours of hiking. It's located in a beautiful place, surrounded by the mountains in Minoo but one of it's highlight is the different sizes of Daruma Dolls scattered everywhere. These Daruma dolls are also being sold in different sizes at the top of the temple, the omiyage shop are not selling it. The shop also had nice view of the temple ground , have a matcha and relax :)

A hidden gem and glad we made the trip. My teenage kids were happy to get some daruma dolls home. The temple is a little out of the way and remember to check the last bus 29 which ends at 4:30 pm each day.