Byodo-In Temple

Absolutely breathtaking temple located at the back of the cemetery grounds. While driving back towards the Byodo-​in Temple, you pass several well maintained cemetery areas where you can see families visiting with loved ones, and sadly the day we went we saw a family laying a loved one to rest. Driving in, you’re immediately overcome by the beauty of the greenery and landscaping. The plots are clearly well maintained not only by staff but by loved ones of the deceased.
Once we made our way to the Byodo-​in Temple we were overcome with its beauty. Behind it mountains covered in clouds, making the scenery even more serene. Once inside the temple, the artistry was even more impressive. The day we visited, there were people from every walk of life visiting and it was lovely to see the respect people had for the temple, removing their shoes, and being respectful of those who were praying.
We visited the koi ponds and I was amazed to see the koi literally jumping from the water. While we didn’t feed them, it was definitely fun to watch them for a bit.
The last time I was here, a girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to experience a tea service which was a true highlight of our visit. I forget the gentleman’s name, but he and his wife shared multiple teas with us that they brought back with them from all over the world and shared stories of their travels with us. They also informed us of the traditional tea services that they participate in at the temple on the first Saturday of the month that the public is welcome to attend.
The admission fee of $ 3 is well spent to support the upkeep of this gorgeous location. It’s definitely a hidden piece of heaven in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the every day world.

So glad we came here, this temple is beautiful and nestled in the green lush gardens!
We paid very nominal fee to get in and parking is free here. We ringed the bell in a traditional way while entering the temple and also lit the joss stick. The background of clouds, nature and trees adds such a great charm to this temple, just loved it.
There is a small gift shop where one can food to feed the fish and there are plenty of orange fishes here. Come here and enjoy your zen moment.

This temple is lovely and on the day we visited, it was only somewhat packed with tourists.
The large Buddha is imposing! Sadly, the savages (children and adult tourists) were banging at the loud gong for most of the time we were there. Too bad there is no rule against that.
The temple is quickly visited and a beautiful and restful place to visit (minus the incessant gong). Highly recommended.

On our way to the temple, we were initially stumped, as our GPS was asking us to pull into a cemetery. Ignore your instincts and keep going — a few short minutes into the cemetery and you’ll arrive at the beautiful Byodo-​In Temple.
THE HIGHLIGHTS.
— $ 3/​person entry fee (for adults, at least)
— Lovely grounds to walk about, admire the temple’s features, learn about its history, and experience a mini tea ceremony
— A large pond simply teeming with koi fish (I’d say at least 100), who you can feed and marvel at (it never got old for me)
— A nice, shaded place, perfect for a picnic or a quick break if you’re on the move
I’m glad we made the pit stop to visit the temple, it was well worth our time!