Muroji Temple, Beautiful Five-story Pagoda in Nara Prefecture

Muroji Temple stands on Mt. Muro, where it has drawn the devoted for hundreds of years, despite being in an extremely remote location with limited access. Nestled in the trees is Muroji's ancient five-story pagoda. You can experience the magical charm of the gorgeous temple, while soaking in the woodland atmosphere of a dense mountain forest. It holds a number of National Treasures, such as the statue of the eleven-faced Kannon and a wooden statue of Shaka Nyorai

While at a time when access to Buddhist training was mainly restricted to men, Muroji was far more egalitarian. In fact, the temple began accepting female worshippers duiring the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). This earned it the nickname of the "woman's Koyasan," after the famous men-only monastery on Koyasan, World Heritage Site in Wakayama Prefecture. So, it's a temple for everyone. Today, the tranquil temple maintains its welcoming atmosphere of days' past. All visitors are invited to stroll the grounds of the temple and take in the natural beauty. Perhaps as a tribute to its history, even today, around 80% of its visitors are female. This temple is the perfect place to explore when you want to get back to nature. The dense forest that surrounds you will strike any visitor with its beauty. As you look through the canopies, take notice of how well the wooden temple structures blend in with the surrounding woodland and wilderness. After enjoying the grounds, don't forget to visit the National Treasures contained within the buildings. Enjoying both the beauty inside the temple, and its stunning natural surroundings will guarantee a fabulous day.