Yakuo-ji (Minami, Tokushima)
薬王寺 (徳島県美波町)
A Buddhist temple built for quiet — halls, gardens and incense smoke.
Best season
April (blossom) and mid-November–early December (foliage)
Time needed
45–90 minutes
Admission
Roughly ¥300–800 for halls and gardens (≈ $2–5)
Opening hours
Typically 8:30–17:00 (shorter in winter)
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
What this place is
Yakuo-ji or Yakuō-ji (Yakuo Temple) (Japanese: 薬王寺) is a Koyasan Shingon temple in Minami, Kaifu District, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. It is temple #23 on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. The main image is of Yakushi Nyorai (Bhaiṣajyaguru: "King of Medicine Master and Lapis Lazuli Light").
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Main halls housing Buddhist statuary, some of it designated National Treasure or Important Cultural Property.
- Gardens designed to be looked at rather than walked through — raked gravel, moss, borrowed mountain scenery.
- Wooden architecture with deep eaves and joinery assembled without nails, often rebuilt over many centuries.
What you can do here
- Light incense at the burner and waft the smoke over yourself before entering the main hall.
- Sit on the veranda facing the garden — that is the intended way to see it, and it costs nothing extra.
- Receive a goshuin seal, or try a short zazen / sutra-copying session where offered.
- Walk the temple's pagoda, bell tower and sub-temples; many stay open later than the main hall.
Getting there
We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.
Good to know before you go
- Remove your shoes where indicated and carry them in the plastic bag provided.
- Keep voices low inside halls; photography of the principal image is often prohibited.
- Autumn foliage and spring blossom seasons bring long queues — go right at opening.
Traveler reviews
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