Sanjūsangendō Temple

It is a simple, peaceful place. The temple inside is striking as you walk from one end to the other while viewing the thousand buddhas statues and their guardians. The descriptions are effective in painting the history of the temple and statues. Descriptions are in four languages : Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English. The entrance fee was ¥600 for adults We visited on Friday morning (10 am), and it was not too crowded. There was one group of students at that time. We spent a little over 60 minutes there. Many groups of students were arriving around 11AM.

A temple featuring a main hall with 33 compartments (as stated in its name). The vast hall houses over 1,000 statues of the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva, recognized as Japanese national treasures. The atmosphere is solemn and serene, and the intricately crafted statues are truly captivating, rewarding close observation of their details.

We visited the Sanjusangen-do temple in Kyoto, the shrine that holds 1000 statues of Kannon, the goddess of compassion, with her 1000 arms. It’s in a long, wooden pavilion on steps and each intricate statue has many arms with items in each hand.. They stand shoulder to shoulder and it is quite a sight to see. The amount of detail and work that had to be put into each statue is staggering. In the front row are unique statues of other gods that are all different and very unique. No pictures are allowed inside, unfortunately, so you will have to take mind pictures. Pictures outside are fine though. The building is quite impressive with its scale alone. It also holds relics and art in its halls. A very interesting and impressive sight to see and one that you won’t soon forget!

No photos allowed inside. 1000 of statues, amazing temple, worth visiting. Not crowded. Wide space, big building and garden. 1000 statues have 1000 difference faces it seems with specific meaning. Highly recommend. Not very far from tofukuji station.

This is a great visit for a cheap price. It's a small little route around the main temple that takes about ten minutes to walk through, and then you can visit the Buddahs in the long building in the center. You have to take your shoes off, but it was worth it. The statues are really fascinating, but we not allowed to take pictures of them, which is too bad, because they were the best part of coming here.

I was the only one to show up for a sushi making class and the instructor told me via google translate that his favorite site in Kyoto was Sanjūsangen-dō. It wasn't even on my list to do, but I'll always follow a local recs. Shoutout to my guy Hiko! I walked into Sanjūsangen-dō, paid the 600 yen entry fee and was surprised that there is a strict no photo rule. I was initially perturbed, as how am I going to tell people about this experience without showing them pictures, but quickly checked myself about how self serving that attitude is. I was floored right when I walked in. This place is AWESOME. There are 1,000 5.5 foot tall statues of the Buddhist Deity of mercy, Kannon, which accompany the main 11 foot tall statue of a Kannon. The no photo rule turned out to be a blessing, as it was nice that tourists weren't fighting to get the best picture. They were just enjoying the site for the sake of the beauty and reverence. I always get existential in places like this and proud of our species. Like damn, human beings made something so cool. My only note is that there is an offering section where you can donate 500-100 yen for "good luck." I wonder how Kannon would feel about that... IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

I highly recommend to visit this place. Initially I did not include this place in my list, since I have another few hours to spend and It's far from the last place I visited. This place will amaze you , the thousand handed god of mercy was finely crafted with very detailed features. There and hundreds of it the size of normal human decorated neatly in a tiny hall. One of those scenes which you cant find anywhere around the planet. At the middle stands a big big statue. I was so happy to be able to visit this place, unfortunately taking photos is prohibited inside the main hall. you have to appreciate it with your own eyes. This is by far the best place I've visited in Kyoto This temple also hold national Japanese long bow archery competetion.

Went here on a weekend around midday, and it was fairly empty. Entrance is cheap at 600¥. The gardens are nice but not exquisite, and there really isn't much to see outside. Inside, there is no AC and no photos allowed. Feels pretty arbitrary as to why not. There are pictures of the statues online. Why not allow people to take their own? Statues are cool, especially seeing so many in one area, but that's all there is. Seems to be a place of active worship. You can make offerings to have "good luck" etc for 500-1500¥ yen. Feels like a money grab, though some people seem more than willing to pay it. Overall, the gardens are lackluster, and you spend most of your time walking through a hot and sweaty centuries old wooden building with statues that you can't take pictures of. But I guess it is 600¥.

I was the only one to show up for a sushi making class and the instructor told me via google translate that his favorite site in Kyoto was Sanjūsangen-dō. It wasn't even on my list to do, but I'll always follow a local recs. Shoutout to my guy Hiko! I walked into Sanjūsangen-dō, paid the 600 yen entry fee and was surprised that there is a strict no photo rule. I was initially perturbed, as how am I going to tell people about this experience without showing them pictures, but quickly checked myself about how self serving that attitude is. I was floored right when I walked in. This place is AWESOME. There are 1,000 5.5 foot tall statues of the Buddhist Deity of mercy, Kannon, which accompany the main 11 foot tall statue of a Kannon. The no photo rule turned out to be a blessing, as it was nice that tourists weren't fighting to get the best picture. They were just enjoying the site for the sake of the beauty and reverence. I always get existential in places like this and proud of our species. Like damn, human beings made something so cool. My only note is that there is an offering section where you can donate 500-100 yen for "good luck." I wonder how Kannon would feel about that... IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

Beautiful temple. You can't take photos inside, but you can of the outside garden area! Beautiful flower and plants with great architecture. A must if you come to Japan!

Touristing in Kyoto, Japan... Sanjusangen-do is a hall with 33 (sanjusan in Japanese language) spaces between the columns. It houses 1001 statues of the Buddhist deity, Kannon, the goddess of Mercy. It is the longest wooden structure in Japan. Visitors aren't allowed to take photos of the statues, unfortunately. We're lucky that our tour included a visit to this site. The bus dropped us off and picked us up. It was quite interesting!

Special historical tour. Pretty incredible to see 1001 Buddha statues. the gigantic Buddha, and the display of arrows and archery bows. Self-guided tour with many informational posters. No photos allowed inside. Loving, peaceful walk around the Temple.

Sanjusangen-do is one of the most famous temples in Kyoto. It is also very unique looking. The main building of the temple grounds is a super long and narrow building that inside has more than 1000 wooden statues of the Buddhist goddess of compassion, Kannon. The statues have been covered in gold for an beautiful look. I found this place one of the more boring temples I visited in Kyoto. The main building is a plain looking brown building and also, no photos are allowed inside. There is a garden area but it was not too impressive compared to the ones in other temples. It's worth having a look just to see the statues, but Kyoto offers much more.

Sanjusangen-do is a unique historical site you can visit easily in less than an hour. This smaller Buddhist temple houses an astonishing 1001 statues in its main massive room. Though about 990 are nearly identical, each was individually hand built and crafted by a sculptor. The other statues are specific Hindu gods, each with its unique powerful presence. Unfortunately, pictures aren't allowed, so I played the good tourist. But there are plenty of nice photos on Yelp and the internet by less scrupulous tourists. Though the temple dates back to 1164, its gone through some massive restorations over the centuries as nature's elements and fires having taken their toll. The surrounding manicured peaceful garden is small but pleasant enough worthy of a 10-15 minute stroll before heading out. Sanjusangen-do is definitely worth a quick visit if you have time.

My cousin Hiro was kind enough to drive us from Wakayama to Kyoto to see the 1001 statues of the Buddhist deity, Juichimen-senju-sengen Kanzeon or Kannon. 1000 standing statues and 1 gigantic seated statue is housed in the Temple hall. These statues are made of Japanese cypress and absolutely stunning. My mother told me if I looked long enough & if I was lucky I would be able to find my face amongst them. I kept seeing my mother & sister in the faces but unfortunately I didn't see my visage staring back at me. The cypress is coated with layer after layer of lacquer then colored gold. Many of the statues are faded but it is not hard to visualize how beautiful they were in the 13th century. At opposite sides of the temple hall & standing before the statues are the images of the Thunder God and the Wind God. These statues are powerful, dynamic & a bit frightening. Whoever carved these infused a bit of life into these beautiful representations of thunder & wind. Between these two running in a straight line along the hall are 28 images of the guardian deities. These deities trace their origins to Hindu mythology. These statues were once colorful but are now faded & look a bit dark standing silent in front of the 1001 gold hued Kannons. No pictures are allowed in the hall and of course no shoes. In front of each guardian deity is a wooden box for donations & to pray to that particular deity. The gift shop was wonderfully stocked with prayer cards & special prayers for: good health, success, etc. I picked out several for friends. The grounds are beautiful with several buildings and a garden where there were a few late blooming cherry trees.

Sanjusangen-do is an impressive temple on the inside but its exterior isn't really so. On the inside it has 1,001 amazing golden statues carved out of Japanese cypress. Most of them all pretty much look the same, but there are some that are extremely unique. The sheer number is impressive but the craftsmanship is outstanding as well. They were carved between the 12th and 13th centuries!!!! There is a small area in the center of the first hall where people actually conduct prayer/meditation. It is sad that you cannot take pictures of the statues since they are so incredible. There is a cool gift shop on the temple grounds. The garden area is pretty nice but not the nicest you'll see in Kyoto. It has a beautiful pond surrounded by a pretty garden!!!! What can I do without at Sanjusangen-do? NO PICTURES ARE ALLOWED INSIDE!!!! What stands out at Sanjusangen-do? The amount of ancient wooden statues inside and their craftsmanship!!!! 5 stars!!!! Sanjusangen-do is really, really ridiculously great!!!!

This popular spot in Kyoto, also known as the Hall of 1001 Kannon, is located in the Eastern part of Kyoto. It is an amazing site to see so many Bodhisattva statues in the long hall, each painstakingly constructed from wood and well preserved for hundreds of years. Walking through the long and quiet space while looking at the different faces is both an awesome and eerie feeling. Aside from the many Kannon statues, there is also a little garden area outside, as well as some displays along the back, inside the temple, some of which talk about an interesting archery tournament that takes place there.

A unique, but crowded temple. As a contrast to the tranquil small temples set amid gardens, Sanjusan Gendo Temple is a large wooden structure (largest in Japan) that can accommodate thousands of people. Inside are 1001 statutes of Kannon, the goddess of Mercy. Other than the statutes, the interior of the temple isn't particularly interesting or beautiful. But I'd recommend visiting to see the statutes. No photography allowed in the temple.

A very nice temple that houses 1001 statues of Kannon, along with several other deities. A thousand life sized statues housed together is an impressive sight to see. Shoes need to be taken off before going in, and photographs are not allowed. It's quiet, and you get to slowly stroll and read the information about the statues. A small garden area is outside, and benches to sit and rest. After viewing the temple, you can either go across the street for the Kyoto National Museum, or walk 25 minutes to Kiyomizu Dera Temple.

This is one of my favorite spots and perhaps the most impressive sight that matches Todaiji's bronze Buddha in Japan! Sanjusangendo, or the "33 Interval Hall" for the thirty-three gaps between the pillars, makes up its lack of height with its length as Japan's longest wooden structure. The building is so long that it is the site of the annual archery tradition that includes firing as many arrows as you can to the other end for 24 hours! However, the extraordinary building length is not the impressive part. The most impressive part about Sanjusangendo is the mind-blowing display of 1000 lacquered wooden statues of thousand-hand Kannon that were made at least 700 years ago! At first sight, all statues look identical but upon further inspection, there are subtle differences in details like the robe pattern and lacquer layer because they are made by at least four master craftsmen. Accompanying with the Kannon crowd are the equally beautiful statues of twenty-eight Buddhist guardian deities and two Japanese weather gods (wind and thunder gods) that may make you mistaken them to be living beings because of the extreme details especially on their expressions. Yet, the awe factor does not stop until you reach the center to witness a massive thousand-hand Kannon statue. Though it was made almost a century ago, the lacquered wooden colossus still maintain its details and magnificence to appear both towering and intimate to the immediate sentiment beings that Kannon vowed to save. Sanjusangendo is a must-go destination for all Kyoto tourist, because the scale and the grandeur are enough to impress even without any appreciation for Buddhist art. No photography is allowed inside, but it'll definitely leave you an impression even without a physical way to do so! --- tl;dr version: 1) Most impressive sight in Japan that parallels Todaiji's Daibutsu 2) (Literally) Tons of lively Buddhist statues from the Kamakura era

I really enjoyed my time visiting this temple in Kyoto. The price is 600 yen per person to enter, and really worth it. The outside has a beautiful little garden area, otherwise just lots of gravel and pavement to walk around. The real deal is inside, where there are 1001 buddha statues and 33 pillars for you to marvel at and worship, if you choose. No photos are allowed inside, which makes for a very pleasant and selfie-stick-free viewing. Each statue is so intricately detailed and unique; it is very impressive to consider. Highly recommended.

The temple itself is not as beautiful as some of the more popular temples in Kyoto, but it is unique in the 1001 statues. You should know that you're not allowed to take pictures of the statues or of the temple interior, so this may influence your desire to come here. The grounds are ok, not the best, but at least it was moderately sized so it made the admission seem more worthwhile. Other temples I visited: Kiyomizu-dera, Tenryu-ji, Gio-ji. This one ranks 3rd.

The thing that I learned here is that they have archery competitions along the outside of the longest building. It is a small excursion to take on your way to other places nearby. Inside the long building, there are 1000 golden statues of Kannon with a giant Buddha in the center. As usual with these types of places, no photography allowed inside. Entrance fee: 600 yen for adults

If you're planning on only going to one temple in Kyoto, I would suggest this one be it. Out of the 10+ I went to this week, this was the most impressive. It was also the most quiet and least filled with tourists out of all of the places I went. Show up in the hour or two before closing time and it'll be EMPTY and you'll really be able to enjoy its beauty. Sanjusangen-do means 33 pillars, although beautiful the name should be about the 1001 Kannon statues inside. There are ONE THOUSAND Golden statues of Kannon, which if you look hard enough you're supposed to be able to find one that you see yourself in. As hard as I looked, I saw the subtle differences between the statues, but I couldn't find myself. I guess I must have been in the further back rows..... The final Kannon is HUGE and I think, not shown in the tourist guidebooks enough. The garden outside is huge and has tons of seats to sit and enjoy the fresh air. You must take your shoes off outside and there is NO photography allowed inside. There is a small gift shop selling omikuji, books, art and some Japanese snacks. No drinks.

When I went there for the first time I was super surprised because of human sized 1001 statues of 1000-armed Kannon, the goddess of mercy. I have seen the photo of these but actual view is totally different...Together they make for an strong impact. Honestly it made me scared pretty much because at the moment I was a 10 years old I guess. It is said that there is the face of person whom you want to meet in 1001 statues. There are some famous temples around there and you can enjoy and walk around all the day. If you want to see something unique, you should drop into here! Admission adult 600yen High/junior high school students 400 yen Children 300yen

Once you step inside, you'll immediately know that this is one of the most impressive shrines in Kyoto. You don't want to miss it. It's also a nice walk from Kyoto Station to start off your visit.

Beautiful. Must-do if in the area. Incredible hall with surprises in store. Don't read much about it. Just go!

This is definitely a must-see for any tourist in Kyoto! The 1001 Buddha statues are unbelievable. We went here on a full day tour, and this was definitely my favorite sightseeing spot. Also, my friend and I met a group of 4 people who were also touring around Japan, and was on day 3 of sightseeing. After visiting the Sanjusangendo hall, they all agreed that was the best temple/shrine they had visited. The only downside is that photography inside is strictly prohibited; all the more reason to visit it in person!

I was astonished by its long frontage. I've never seen such a long hall of Buddhist temple. The reason lies in the unique name of "Sanjyu Sangendo". It has a hall of thirty-three spaces between the pillars from north to south. The Bodhisattva called Kannon appears in thirty-three different sights to rescue people in some troublesome or disasters. The main hall which is now designated national treasure was established in the economic assistance of Tairano Kiyomori. However the hall was burnt down by fire and later it was recostructed. Inside the wooden image of one thousand-armed Bodhisattva is reposed. It is designated as important cultural assets. It is very rare and a must to see. A very unique figure. 　Its number is 1000. In addition, you feel horror at the scary face of Thunder, Wind Gods. When I first saw the figures, I made an oath that I would never do bad things from now on. Tips: If you come here, you must bring your steps in Kyoto National Museum. You will be enchanted by its retro outward appearance. An archery competition called "Oomato Taikai" is held in January. The sight of the participants in Kimono clad who reach 20 years old is awesome!! So please check it!

I haven't been reviewing all of the temples I visited - not enough time to write that many reviews. But I will review this one, as it's pretty incredible. No pictures are allowed of the inside, but the sight of all the 1001 hand carved and gold covered Kannon statues is truly impressive - what a labor of faith, not to mention the other statues and carvings inside. I don't think pictures truly do it justice anyway, but this is one of the only places where I've bought anything from a temple gift shop - a very nice color book that contained photos of the inside. I couldn't resist, since the inside is so stunning that I wanted proof of what I saw. Well worth the very reasonable admission.

This place is worth checking out for sure. For some reason I didn't have it on our itinerary but we stumbled in on our way to another site. The hall is massive with many unique statues, you really have to see it to understand. There's a small garden outside to walk around and it's a good quick site to see.