Hase-dera in Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, is one of Japan's most ancient and spectacular pilgrimage temples, founded in the 8th century. The temple's defining feature is its long roofed corridor of 399 stone steps climbing through terraced hillside gardens where maples, peonies, and wisterias mark each season. In autumn, the corridor is canopied by brilliant crimson and gold maple branches, and the main hall's open veranda offers sweeping views across the Hatsuse valley draped in seasonal colour. The 10-metre-tall gilded main statue of Kannon is one of the largest wooden sculptures in Japan.
- Type
- Venue
- Category
- Autumn Leaves
- Season
- Autumn
- Month
- Mid-November to Early December
- Region
- Kansai
- Prefecture
- Nara
- City
- Sakurai
Highlights
- ◆399-step roofed pilgrimage corridor under a maple canopy
- ◆Panoramic valley views from the cliff-edge main hall veranda
- ◆10-metre gilded Kannon statue — one of Japan's largest wooden sculptures
- ◆Terraced hillside gardens with layered autumn colour
- ◆Fewer foreign tourists than Kyoto venues, authentic pilgrimage atmosphere