Hōrin-ji, Buddhist temple in Kamigyō-ku, Japan
Hōrin-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto with several buildings including a dedicated Okiagari Daruma-do hall and a concrete Daihorin-to tower in the courtyard. The tower's ground floor displays hundreds of colorful daruma dolls that give the temple its distinctive appearance.
The temple was founded in 1727 as part of the Myoshin-ji school within the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Its original Hondo main hall has been preserved and continues to serve as the spiritual center of the complex.
The name combines "Ho" meaning law and "rin" meaning forest, reflecting its role as a place of Buddhist teaching. Today visitors see colorful daruma dolls left by worshippers throughout the grounds, bringing the temple to life with personal wishes.
The temple is easiest to reach by JR Sanin Main Line to Enmachi Station or by Kyoto City Bus to the Nishinokyo Enmachi stop. Most visitors walk from the station, which takes about 15 minutes.
A special section called the Kinema Hall within the temple grounds honors members of the Japanese film industry. This connection between religious tradition and cinema history makes it an unexpected place to find such a modern cultural dedication.
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