Ikaruga, Nara / 法起寺
Hokiji Temple
Founded in 638; Prince Shotoku's son Yamashiro no Oe is said to have turned the Okamoto Palace, linked with the prince, into a temple following his father's last wishes. It was a great temple with a full set of halls, with the main hall and pagoda placed the opposite way round from Horyuji, a layout called the Hokiji style. The only building left from its founding is the three-storey pagoda (National Treasure, about 24 m high), completed in 706, the oldest surviving three-storey pagoda in Japan; the present main hall, bell tower and golden hall were rebuilt in the Edo period. (World Heritage)
Last official check
27 Sept 2026
Traveler reports
0
Reports open in Phase 2
Next scheduled check
26 Dec 2026
Decide before you go
A short summary made from the official facts below. Check the rows for details.
- Getting there
- Train / Bus
- Admission
- Paid (see the price below)
- Closing days
- Has closing days (see below)
Before you go
Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.
- Opening hours
8:30-17:00 (until 16:30 from November 4 to February 21).
Checked 27 Sept 2026 on the official site- Closed
Open every day.
Checked 27 Sept 2026 on the official site- Admission
Individuals: adults, university and high school students 500 yen, junior high 400 yen, elementary 300 yen; groups of 30 or more: general 400 yen, university and high school 350 yen, junior high 300 yen, elementary 100 yen.
Checked 27 Sept 2026 on the official site- Getting there
From Kintetsu Koriyama Station, bus for Horyuji-mae via Hokiji to Hokiji, right by the stop; from JR/Kintetsu Oji Station, bus for Nara to Hokiji-guchi, then 10 minutes on foot.
Checked 27 Sept 2026 on the official site- Parking
None.
Checked 27 Sept 2026 on the official site- Payment
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Accessibility
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Found wrong or outdated information? Let us know
Address: Ikaruga, Nara (Japanese address: 奈良県生駒郡斑鳩町岡本1873)
Official site: https://yamatoji.nara-kankou.or.jp/01shaji/02tera/02west_area/hokiji/
Location
Smaller pins are other spots nearby.
Nearby spots
- No photo yetHoryu-ji TempleNara1 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetYakushi-ji TempleNara6 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetToshodai-ji TempleNara7 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetShigisan Chogosonshiji TempleNara7 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetHeijo Palace SiteNara9 km away (straight line)
Distances are straight-line distances, not travel distances.
Crowds
- Crowd level
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Best time to visit
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Peak time
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest days
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest season
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Latest traveler report
- None yet
Traveler crowd data by time of day appears after 5 traveler reports (0 so far).
You can check typical busy hours in Google Maps ("Popular times" on the place's page). Open this spot in Google Maps
Verification log
- 27 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://yamatoji.nara-kankou.or.jp/01shaji/02tera/02west_area/hokiji/Hours, closing days, description and coordinates read from a tourism organization's site.
- 27 Sept 2026First check · Tourism board · https://yamatoji.nara-kankou.or.jp/01shaji/02tera/02west_area/hokiji/access/Access and parking read from a tourism organization's site.