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
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Rise & Win Brewing Co. BBQ & General Store
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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 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…