Points of Interest & LandmarksReligious Sites

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Monday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Tuesday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Wednesday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Thursday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Friday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Saturday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Sunday

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

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About

The oldest temple in Japan, built over 1,400 years ago, this temple is famous for its symmetrical design and even has an architectural arrangement named after it,”Shitenno-ji-style temple layout.”

Duration: 1-2 hours

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The area

Address

How to get there

Shitennōji-mae Yūhigaoka • 7 min walk
Tennōji • 9 min walk

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Best nearby

We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.

Restaurants

10,000 within 3 miles

Carni Grill Tennoji Ekimae

71

0.4 mi£ • Steakhouse • Barbecue

Shitennoji Visitor Rest House

16

338 ftJapanese

Soba Cuisine Hayauchi

13

0.2 mi££ - £££ • Japanese • Japanese - Other

Niji No Hotoke

16

0.2 miJapanese • International • Japanese - Other

Udon No Maeda Shitennoji Main Store

14

0.2 mi££ - £££ • Japanese • Japanese - Other

Takara Okonomiyaki

6

0.1 miJapanese • Japanese - Other

Total Honke Tsuriganeya

Tonkatsu Kyk Abeno Chikagai

8

0.2 mi££ - £££ • Japanese

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Attractions

1,884 within 6 miles

Shitennoji Stone Stage

1

124 ftPoints of Interest & Landmarks

Shido Kenyo Monument

1

266 ftMonuments & Statues

Ansei Earthquake Tsunami Monument

7

0.1 miHistoric Sites • Monuments & Statues

Gokurakujyodo Garden of Paradise

0.2 miReligious Sites

Isshinji Temple

195

0.3 miCemeteries • Religious Sites

Kazeyoke Futenson Signpost

1

0.2 miMonuments & Statues

Sanada Yukimura War Memorial Monument

1

0.2 miMonuments & Statues

Seijuin Temple

1

0.2 miHistoric Sites • Religious Sites

Shitennoji Koshindo

19

0.2 miReligious Sites

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See what travellers are saying

RoyalSilk
Edgware, United Kingdom439 contributions
Worth A Visit
This location is about 15 minutes from the nearest Metro station but as Temples go is worth a visit. It's in very good condition for its age - it could have been built last year - and the grounds are peaceful and serene. Allow about half an hour. Last entries are around 3.30pm
Visited March 2024
Travelled as a couple
Written 7 March 2024
639abbie
Canberra, Australia1,417 contributions
Beautiful pagoda
A beautiful shrine with a 5 storey pagoda and huge brass Buddhas. This is a beautiful area with turtle pond and awesome architecture plus manicured Peebles ground. Reflect, study and inflect - well worth your time
Visited May 2024
Travelled with friends
Written 7 May 2024
LVV
Takatsuki, Japan63 contributions
Beautiful temple with a long history
This beautiful temple is located in central Osaka. It's a beautiful place to stroll around. Make sure to go inside, it's worth paying the entrance fee. I particularly enjoyed the paintings inside the temple.
Visited May 2024
Travelled solo
Written 8 May 2024
Ming Hsiang Lim
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia748 contributions
Quiet and serene
A beautiful temple at downtown Osaka with a pagoda at the centre surrounded by beautiful grounds. What's unique is that the pagoda houses a relic of the Buddha - and you would need to climb a winding stairway to the top to see the relic. Easily accessible via trains.
Visited June 2024
Travelled with family
Written 17 June 2024

These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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4.0

1,124 reviews

Excellent

342

Very good

521

Average

220

Poor

31

Terrible

10

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.

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Martina1888

Inverness, UK506 contributions

Worth a visit

Sept 2023 • Solo

The outer temple grounds can be visited for free but you have to pay a small fee if you want to visit the pagoda or the gardens. There are lots of vending machines and toilets on the vast temple grounds. At the time I visited there was a ceremony with chanting taking place which was quite fascinating. I loved the smell of incense which was omnipresent on the grounds.

Written 19 September 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

粗挽きコーヒ

Iruma, Japan697 contributions

For better or worse, it's full of Osaka vibes.

Aug 2023 • Solo

This is a historic temple built by Prince Shotoku, and the vast grounds are well worth seeing, with halls scattered all over!
However, the grounds are so vast that there are rows of stalls, creating a solemn atmosphere, making it unsuitable for those who want to worship quietly. There are also many Buddha statues that place emphasis on shining, and unfortunately the atmosphere is quite different from the elation and nostalgia you get after visiting temples and shrines in Kyoto and Nara.

Written 3 December 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leonhkny

Hong Kong, China21,474 contributions

Vast religious site

Apr 2023

This is the most impressive attraction in downtown Osaka. Shitenno-ji, or the Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings, is some of the oldest Buddhist sites in Japan. The vast, spacious compound includes some neat and photogenic buildings as well as colorful decorations. While the crowd in Dotombori can be unbearable, this is the perfect place for urban escape.

Written 22 April 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Qian W

Chiang Rai, Thailand29 contributions

Relaxing trip

Aug 2023 • Family

A quiet place in the bustling city, with few tourists, mostly believers who come to worship. This is the earliest Japanese Buddhist temple established by Prince Shotoku, and it is also the oldest official temple in Japan. If time permits, it is worth a visit.

Written 25 August 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RoyalSilk

Edgware, UK439 contributions

Worth A Visit

Mar 2024 • Couples

This location is about 15 minutes from the nearest Metro station but as Temples go is worth a visit. It's in very good condition for its age - it could have been built last year - and the grounds are peaceful and serene. Allow about half an hour. Last entries are around 3.30pm

Written 7 March 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Antonio R

Malnate, Italy722 contributions

Not very touristy

May 2024 • Couples

The shitennoji temple is easily reachable by loop line, from shin imamiya. It has the advantage of allowing you to climb the pagoda, which rarely happens. The complex is quite large, better than other much more popular ones such as Byodoin

Written 3 May 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

道中双六

Osaka Prefecture, Japan1,266 contributions

♪This is the stone torii gate of Tennoji, the first Buddhist gate. Please stop by and worship ♪ (Noh song “Yoboshi”)

Feb 2024 • Solo

On the 21st of the equinox, I stopped by Shitennoji Temple, where the Daishi-e (Kobo Daishi Memorial Day) is held. I wanted to see the layout of the Shitennoji style temple and the ``Stone Torii'' from the Noh song ``Yoboshi''. Unfortunately, it was cloudy so I couldn't see the setting sun. Nissokan is March 20th.
I stayed at the nearby Smile Hotel Tennoji on its opening day on March 20th and the following day on the 21st.

Written 21 March 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

中道佳

Yokosuka, Japan2 contributions

A Buddhist temple full of life

Sept 2023 • Solo

It was a very lively temple.
You can see Abeno Harukas from the temple grounds, and it's an area where old and new are mixed together. There are plenty of things to see, such as the torii gate that leads to the Western Pure Land and the disciplined five-story pagoda. There are many worshippers of all ages and genders, including foreign tourists, coming and going. There are also scenes of local people just taking a stroll. It's a wonderful temple full of a sense of life.

Written 19 October 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kimitaka S

Taichung, Taiwan15,193 contributions

Not as I had expected

Jan 2020 • Solo

Shitennō-ji is a famous temple, which was founded by Shotokutaishi. It is certainly worth visiting. But the main building and the pagoda are reconstructions, and unfortunately I couldn’t feel anything historical. To enter the central area, you have to pay the entrance. But in my opinion, there is nothing to see in the pagoda.

Written 7 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LVV

Takatsuki, Japan63 contributions

Beautiful temple with a long history

May 2024 • Solo

This beautiful temple is located in central Osaka. It's a beautiful place to stroll around. Make sure to go inside, it's worth paying the entrance fee. I particularly enjoyed the paintings inside the temple.

Written 8 May 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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