Skip to content Reference material on Japan's regions, culture and sightseeing / Please check opening days, prices and other details with the latest information from each source.
← Back to the list Map of Japan Travel in Nara Entries in Nara Value Village
Saidaiji Temple Nara · · Culture & History
Japanese name: 西大寺
Photo: 663highland / CC BY 2.5 · Source ↗ WHAT TO DO Saidaiji Temple A temple founded in 764 at the wish of the retired Empress Koken, known for its great tea-bowl ceremony.
CHECK BEFORE YOU GO Check before visiting Check opening days, fees, reservations, photography rules and seasonal conditions with official information.
Photos 8 All photos from Wikimedia Commons, shown with photographer and licence.
See it on Instagram Hashtags made from this place's name. Japanese hashtags are shown as written so that they match posts on Instagram. Each opens the tag page on Instagram in a new tab.
At a glance This entry is a candidate place to visit. Check whether it is open and whether worship or visits are possible.
Address Nara Area 631-0825 1-1-5 Saidaiji Shiba-machi, Nara
Hours & fees Hours: 8:30–16:30
(Last entry to the halls 30 minutes before closing)
[Shuhokan] Opening schedule
January 15–February 4,
April 20–May 10,
October 25–November 15
Fees: ◆ Admission (shared viewing of three halls: Main Hall, Shiodo and Aizendo)
Individuals: General 800 yen, junior high/high school students 600 yen, elementary school students 400 yen
Groups: General 700 yen, junior high/high school students 500 yen, elementary school students 350 yen
* Groups are 30 or more people
* Members of the Saidai-ji Friends Association can view free by showing their membership card
* Visits to the Yamato Thirteen Buddhas Pilgrimage are treated as group rates even for individuals
* Goshuin are given to those who show a viewing ticket. Goshuin alone without viewing are not given.
◆ Shuhokan is an additional 300 yen
Open three times a year: 1/15–2/4, 4/20–5/10, 10/25–11/15
◆ Ochamori tea-drinking fee (normal group reception)
Per person: General 2,000 yen, elementary/junior high/high school students 1,500 yen
* The New Year (1/16), spring (second Sunday of April and the day before) and autumn (second Sunday of October) Ochamori ceremonies are separate from the above
* Normally only groups of 30 or more are accepted
◆ Spring and autumn Ochamori ceremony tea-drinking fee
Per person: General 4,000 yen
Themes Culture & history Contents Overview About this place Official website Before you go Check before you visit · References Overview A temple founded in 764 at the wish of the retired Empress Koken, known for its great tea-bowl ceremony.
About this place Saidai-ji is the head temple of the Shingon Ritsu sect, in Saidaiji Shibamachi, Nara, Nara Prefecture. Its mountain name is Shohozan. The principal image is Shaka Nyorai. It was built in the Nara period at the vow of Retired Empress Koken (who returned to the throne as Empress Shotoku), with the monk Johto as founder (first abbot). As one of the Seven Great Temples of Nanto, it boasted magnificent halls in the Nara period, but declined for a time in the Heian period and was revived in the Kamakura period by Eison.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source ja.wikipedia.org ↗Before you go Three questions from the World Question Box that relate to this entry.
Check before you visit · References The original sources are listed here. Confirm opening hours, whether visits are accepted, fees and access with the latest official information.
Written by Value Village from public sources. Nothing here is reproduced from another site. Languages: ja / en / zh
Photos of Nara Reference photos of the region related to this entry. They are not photos of the listed facility or product.
Instagram posts from Nara (from official accounts) There are no posts linked to this place yet. Posts from the prefecture's official accounts are shown, rotating every minute.
Home Regions Library Favorites Account 
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
— · Public domain
_komyoden.jpg)
Enlarge ↗
Enlarge ↗