Byodo-In

Byodo-In Temple in Japan is a classic example of Japanese construction, but you don't have to travel to the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture to see it. We have a duplicate example in Hawaii, erected in 1968, it is full-size and exact in virtually every detail. The original, a Buddhist temple converted from a country estate, was built in 998. Byodo-In's central great hall houses a large gold-covered representation of Buddha, the largest one carved and gold-leafed in the last millenium. Look up, and you'll see statues of phoenixes, Buddhists believe the creature accompanies Buddha when he plucks the souls of the faithful at the moment of death.

If Byodo-In looks familiar, that's because movies shot in Hawaii that need a scene set in Japan invariably use the temple as a backdrop. Behind the temple is a ponded garden, and when the light and angle are just right, the temple is reflected in the water.

Click here if you would like to visit Byodo-in with Polynesian Adventure Tours. All tours reserved on this site are discounted 10%. That is the best price we offer!