A beautiful Buddhist temple in Fukuoka, Nanzoin Temple is best known for its big reclining Buddha, which is possibly the largest bronze statue in the world.
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Founded in 1889 and located in lush woodland and a short train ride away from Fukuoka, Nanzoin Temple (南蔵院) is a peaceful place (less so at the weekends) with many stories to tell.
Over 40 metres long in length and of the best things to do in Fukuoka, here is our guide to the Nanzoin Temple on Kyushu Island, in southern Japan.
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How to get to Nanzoin Temple / 南蔵院
Nanzoin Temple is located in the Sasaguri district of Fukuoka, an easy local train journey from downtown.
The nearest train station to Nanzoin Temple is Kidonanzoin-Mae Station on the JR Fukuhoku Yutaka Line, followed by a 3 minute walk to the temple entrance (plus some steep steps afterwards).
It is a 20 minute train ride from Hakata / Fukuoka Station to Kidonanzoin-Mae Station.
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Nanzoin opening hours and admission fee
Nanzoin Temple offers free admission for individuals and small groups although donations and the purchase of religious gifts and tokens from the shops is appreciated.
For groups larger than 8, it costs 200 Yen entrance fee per person (around £1 or $1.25 USD) and must book their access in advance.
The viewing hours / open hours of the Nanzoin Reclining Buddha are 7am to 4.30pm. However, the main hall and 45th temple nearby can be visited 24 hours a day. Hours may vary during religious festivals and public celebrations such as New Year’s.
Nanzoin shrine times and prices are all correct as of summer 2024.
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Arriving at the temple
Going from Fukuoka / Hakata station to Kidonanzoin-Mae station, the journey is very green and goes past numerous small villages, farms and fields before slowly becoming more mountainous.
There isn’t much at Kidonanzoin-Mae station other than a couple of vending machines outside with cold drinks so if it is a hot day, stock up on drinks here or bring some in from the city (along with any food you might need).
There are a couple of small noodle restaurants outside the temple like Kōjin Chaya but these don’t usually open until mid morning and close mid afternoon.
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Fukuoka’s Xylophone Bridge / Melody Bridge at Nanzoin
As we walked down the bank from the station towards the Nanzoin entrance, we heard musical note wafting through the valley.
It turned out to be someone playing a tune on a xylophone bridge known as the Melody Bridge (メロディー・ブリッジ) which goes across the local Tatara River.
If you want to play it (musical eh), be sure to bring your own ‘mallets’ as we couldn’t see any on our visit – each of the metal musical pieces have the notes etched on the side. So cool and so unusual.
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Walking to the Nanzoin Reclining Buddha
The stroll from the temple entrance to the Reclining Buddha is a pretty one – there are several smaller temples along the way plus we spotted a small turtle pond on the left of the main entrance, complete with tiny torii gates.
Along the first pathway, most of the stone ornaments and relics are covered in moss and surrounded by trees. Nanzoin temple really is very scenic, especially on blue sky days like when we visited.
On the way up to the big Buddha, there are lots of little shrines and side paths. There are also streams and babbling brooks that run down the mountain which is very calming – perfect for a temple!
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Keep an eye out for the small statue on the left hand side as you go up the steps. It is said to give good luck / fertility if you rub the belly – so his stomach is very worn and shiny, unlike the rest of his body.
There is a nice path too on the left with torii gates, gardens and red lanterns – an idyllic setting and very quiet when we visited (we can’t vouch for what it is like at weekends or during religious festivals though).
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I like Big Buddhas and I Cannot Lie…
The reclining Buddha is incredible when you get up close – it is like no other monument we’ve seen in Japan and the only thing that even comes close is the Reclining Buddhas in Thailand, South East Asia where lying down statues are more common.
Many of the smaller statues and religious figures were also dressed in winter bobble hats and the trees were wrapped in colourful scarf-like creations.
Unless you get close to the colossal Reclining Buddha at Nanzoin temple, you just can’t fathom how big it actually is – pictures don’t do it justice.
For example, one of the Buddha’s feet is bigger than our entire body. And the intricate golden decorations on the body are best appreciated up close along with the inscriptions (although you might need ‘Google Translate’).
In front of the Buddha, there are various shrines, statues of disciples, urns and a small seating area for special events and religious festivals. In the courtyard, there is a small shop selling Omikuji random fortunes and other artifacts.
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Nanzoin Reclining Buddha vital statistics
So how big exactly is the Buddha? Said to be the world’s largest bronze statue, the Reclining Buddha:
- Weighs around 300 tonnes
- Is over 40 metres in length
- 11 metres tall
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Nanzoin Temple etiquette
When walking around the temple, please remember:
- This is a place of worship so please be quiet and show respect whilst at the temple
- No smoking, eating whilst walking or drinking alcohol is allowed onsite
- There are also signs saying selfie sticks are prohibited – good!
- Tattoos should be covered up and dress appropriately
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Address
Nanzoin Temple, 1035 Sasaguri, Kasuya District, Fukuoka 811 – 2405, Japan
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