Taisanji Temple

Taisanji is an old Tendai temple in Ikawadani, Nishi Ward, Kobe. Tradition says it was founded in 716 by Fujiwara no Umakai as a temple under imperial patronage, although it is thought to date from the Heian period or later. The original buildings burned in a fire in 1285, and the surrounding woodland of about 55.9 hectares is protected as a scenic zone. The main hall, built in the Kamakura period, is a National Treasure and the only National Treasure building in Kobe. It enshrines Yakushi Nyorai and an eleven-headed Kannon, and its brackets mix Japanese and Zen styles. The Niomon gate and the seated Amida Nyorai statue are Important Cultural Properties, and the three-story pagoda of 1688 is a prefectural cultural property. The temple is open from 8:30 to 17:00 (to 16:30 from December to February) with an admission fee of 300 yen. It is known for cherry blossoms in spring and autumn colors, and a visit takes about an hour.