Fudoin Iwayado

This Muromachi-period temple hall is built directly into a cliff face, sheltered beneath a massive rock overhang that has protected it for centuries. The wooden structure, an Important Cultural Property, appears to defy gravity, its elaborate roof extending outward from the stone. Getting there requires a short but steep forest trail from the valley floor, passing stone shrines along the way. Autumn is particularly atmospheric when maples frame the cliff in red and gold. The site sees very few visitors, which means you can linger quietly in one of Tottori's most unusual architectural settings without the crowds that follow similar cliff-face temples elsewhere.