Review: Nihon-ji ★★★★★
Nihon-ji is a temple located on the Boso Peninsula in Kyonan city, Chiba prefecture. The temple’s main attraction is a 31 meter (100 feet) tall Daibutsu (statue of Buddha). There are a number of stations around the mountain that have hand-carved Rakan statues, as well as there being a few vistas with fantastic views across the bay towards Kanagawa prefecture.
You can reasonably hike around and see all the major points of interest in one to two hours.
How To Get To Nihon-ji
There are a number of ways you can get to Nihon-ji temple. By far, the easiest way, and most fun, is to arrange your own transportation. As an added bonus, the parking lot is fairly close to the Daibutsu, eliminating the need to use the Nokogiri Ropeway.
Barring your own transpiration, you could use JR’s Uchibo Line from Chiba station.
There is also the Tokyo Wan Ferry (東京湾フェリー) which you can get in Kurihama, a city that is about an hour south of Yokohama.
If you take the train or the ferry you will have to get up Mount Nokogiri, either by hiking or taking the Nokogiri Ropeway. The ropeway will set you back an additional ¥900 for a roundtrip ticket.
Final Verdict
Is Ninhon-ji worth visiting?
Well, that depends. It is a bit of a chore to get to, but that’s also what makes it cool. It’s far off location means it’s less crowded than attractions you will find in Tokyo, Yokohama, or even in Narita city.
For people visiting Japan for the first and/or on short trips, I don’t think it’s worth the effort to get here. The Daibutsu in Kamakura is better option in that case, even though it’s only 1/3rd the size.
For people who have visited Japan multiple times and have seen the main sights, residents, and long term visitors, Nihon-ji is a great option. The temple is still relatively unknown, even by residents in the Tokyo area.
The lush green area is also a welcomed break from the gray drudgery that is Tokyo.
You will need to be prepared to hike a little. From the Daibutsu it’s a 40 minute walk up stone staircases. The hiking is moderate and shouldn’t be a problem for anyone in reasonable shape. If you have mobility issues, this might not be the best place to visit.
Check out our write up on the Boso Penisula to see more photos and hear more about this area.
Contact & General Information
Admission: Adults ¥600, Children ¥400
Hours: 8am – 5pm, daily
Location: Google
Website: Nihon-ji (Official Website) (Japanese only)
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