While most henro over the past 1200 years have struggled up steep mountain paths to get to Tairyū-ji, these days this magnificent mountaintop temple is easily accessed by the Tairyū-ji Ropeway, providing a rare opportunity to visit such an atmospheric haven. It's easy to feel the sacredness amid the tall trees, ancient buildings and pillars of rock.
Temple 21: Tairyū-ji
Tokushima & the Anan Coast
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.69 MILES
If you're travelling along Rte 439, it's not a matter of 'blink and you'll miss it', but blink, and blink again, because you may have a hard time…
26.52 MILES
Away from the crowds and tour buses, the spectacular Oku Iya Ni-jū Kazura-bashi are two secluded vine bridges hanging side by side high over the river…
19.11 MILES
Ryōzen-ji is Temple One of the 88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku pilgrimage. It is called Temple One because it was the first that temple pilgrims came to…
10.5 MILES
The major attraction of Hiwasa, Yakuō-ji, Temple 23, is the last temple in Tokushima Prefecture. Yakuō-ji dates back to the year 726, and is famous as a…
10.25 MILES
Dedicated to sea turtles, the museum's name – Caretta – comes from the scientific name for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Inside, there's a lot of turtle info…
Rise & Win Brewing Co. BBQ & General Store
6.02 MILES
Got to love this place. Everything at Rise & Win's brewery restaurant in Kamikatsu is recycled from old town buildings, from the incredible spectacle of…
27.91 MILES
The last of the Shikoku pilgrimage's 88 Temples sits in the mountains in the southeast of Kagawa Prefecture and is well worth a visit. It's fitting that…
25.38 MILES
For an intriguing bird's-eye view of the whirlpools, you can walk out along this breezy 450m-long walkway hanging underneath the Naruto Bridge, which puts…
Nearby Tokushima & the Anan Coast attractions
1. Rise & Win Brewing Co. BBQ & General Store
6.02 MILES
Got to love this place. Everything at Rise & Win's brewery restaurant in Kamikatsu is recycled from old town buildings, from the incredible spectacle of…
10.25 MILES
Dedicated to sea turtles, the museum's name – Caretta – comes from the scientific name for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Inside, there's a lot of turtle info…
10.35 MILES
Head east from the centre of Hiwasa out to the coast to find the attractive beach of Ōhama, a long stretch of sand where sea turtles come to lay their…
10.5 MILES
The major attraction of Hiwasa, Yakuō-ji, Temple 23, is the last temple in Tokushima Prefecture. Yakuō-ji dates back to the year 726, and is famous as a…
5. Tokushima Modern Art Museum
10.83 MILES
With a permanent collection that includes modern masters, both Japanese and Western, this surprisingly sophisticated prefectural museum houses two- and…
6. Tokushima Prefectural Museum
10.9 MILES
Full of huge dinosaur skeletons and engaging natural-history exhibits, this prefectural museum will keep kids entertained for hours.
12.78 MILES
At the foot of Bizan, the 280m-high summit at the southwestern end of Shinmachibashi-dōri, the Bizan Ropeway whizzes you to the top for fine city views. A…