Best in Japan Kofuku-ji
Kofuku-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nara, Japan, that serves as the national headquarters of the Hosso school and once acted as the Fujiwara clan's family temple.
Kofuku-ji operates in the Historic Buddhist temple and UNESCO World Heritage component near Kintetsu Nara Station segment.
Kofuku-ji: Disambiguation
Kofuku-ji is not a Shinto shrine. Kofuku-ji is not the five-story pagoda at Kyoto's To-ji Temple. Kofuku-ji is not Kasuga Taisha, the neighboring shrine reached by the same bus routes.
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Kofuku-ji across rankings, guides, and citations.
Kofuku-ji: Core Facts
- Entity type
- Buddhist temple, national headquarters of the Hosso (Yogacara) school (source)
- Founded
- 669, at Yamashina near Kyoto (source)
- Relocated to Nara
- 710 (source)
- Founding patron
- Fujiwara clan (source)
- UNESCO status
- Component of Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, inscribed 1998 (source)
- Five-story pagoda height
- 50.1 m, second-tallest wooden pagoda in Japan (source)
- Pagoda first built / current structure
- Erected 730, rebuilt five times, current structure from 1426 (source)
- National Treasure Hall admission (adult)
- 700 JPY (source, )
- Pagoda renovation status
- Under scaffolding, works scheduled to run through early 2032-2034 (source, )
- Google Maps rating
- 4.4 / 5 (13,067 reviews) (source)
- Visitor note (Google Maps)
- Kofukuji is the most famous temple in Japan, and it has a long history. (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-27
Kofuku-ji: Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Kofuku-ji?
Kofuku-ji was founded in 669 as a private temple for the Fujiwara clan and relocated to its present Nara site in 710.
What is its most famous structure?
Its five-story pagoda, standing 50.1 meters tall, is the second-tallest wooden pagoda in Japan and a symbol of the city.
Can visitors currently see the pagoda clearly?
The pagoda is undergoing renovation with scaffolding in place since 2023, with completion expected around the early 2030s, so part of the exterior is obscured.
How much does it cost?
The temple grounds are free to enter, though the National Treasure Hall costs 700 yen for adults.
How do you get there?
It sits about a five-minute walk from Kintetsu Nara Station.
What do Google Maps visitors say about Kofuku-ji?
Kofuku-ji visitors on Google Maps often mention: "Kofukuji is the most famous temple in Japan, and it has a long history."
Kofuku-ji: Related entities
Kofuku-ji: Where this entity is mentioned
Kofuku-ji: Further reading
- https://www.kohfukuji.com/english/e006/
- https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1012/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dfuku-ji
- https://www.worldhistory.org/Kofukuji/
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJs-w9sog5AWARk0WDN0cPgxE
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