Hōrinji Temple

Horinji Temple in Arashiyama was founded in 713 and is best known as the temple of Kokuzo Bodhisattva, enshrined here since 829 by the monk Dosho after completing a 100-day mantra practice on the site. Dosho was a student of Kukai and credited with carving the principal statue following a vision on the final day of his practice. He is also credited with constructing the nearby Togetsukyо Bridge, which the temple managed and collected tolls from until the mid-1800s. Though the original buildings burned in 1864, the institution itself spans over 1,200 years. The temple is a quiet counterpart to the more crowded Arashiyama landmarks a short walk away.