Visiting Katsuo-ji Temple: What To Know Before You Go

If you’re visiting Japan, you’re definitely a tourist. And I always say that tourists should go to all of the tourist attractions. That’s why you’re there. So, don’t miss going to Dotonbori in Osaka. It is one of the most popular spots for visitors.

To find out more about it, check out our tourist guide to Dotonbori, filled with things to do, foods to eat, and more.

Where Is Katsuo-ji Temple?

Katsuo-ji Temple is in Minoh, Japan, on Mount Ochosan in the Minoh mountains, north of Osaka and almost exactly between Kyoto and Kobe.

We were able to use Apple Maps as a GPS to get us there (and, actually, navigating this trip was the reason I decided to get an eSIM card for Japan). The map gives you the wrong ticket price for the exit, though. We actually met two couples from Taiwan on the ride to Katsuo-ji. They got to the station’s exit first and one of the women came back to tell us we had to go to the fare adjustment machine.

There are actually a ton of signs at the exit telling you that you probably have the wrong fare, so don’t worry. It’s the app, not you.

For help getting around, check out our post about Japan’s public tranportation.

How To Get To Katsuo-ji Temple?

Getting to Katsuo-ji really depends on where you’re coming from. Most likely, you’ll take the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line, the subway train, to the last stop, Minoh-Kayano Station. From there, you’ll walk down to the Minoh-Kayano Station bus station and take a public bus to the temple.

At the Minoh-Kayano Station you can opt to take a taxi from the bus station to Katsuo-ji instead. There is a taxi line that’s clearly labeled.

Depending on the number of people you’re traveling with, the taxi may be cheaper.

Katsuo-ji Temple History

Katsuo-ji is a 1,300-year-old temple. Mostly.

According to its unverified history, it began in 727 by brothers Zenchū and Zensan, who were studying Buddhism. They were followed by Kaisei, the son of Emperor Kōnin, who is credited with founding the temple in 775.

In 880, Priest Gyojun prayed for the healing of Emperor Seiwa, who bestowed the name Shōō-ji (勝王寺) on the temple. He purposefully named it that because Shōō-ji means (loosely) “the temple that defeated/surpassed the king”, meaning it was more powerful than the king. Because the prayers and the temple itself were credited for his healing.

But, as you can imagine, the ruling class didn’t like that. So, the middle symbol for the temple was changed from 王, meaning king, to 尾, meaning tail. The pronunciation remained the same, but the sentiment changed. Sort of.

Instead of a temple that can have victory over a king, the temple can have victory over, well, everything else. It’s known as the Temple of Victory or Temple of Winning Luck. So, if you have something going on where you could use a little help in the success department, make a pilgrimage to Katsuo-ji.

What Are Daruma Dolls?

Katsuo-ji is covered with red daruma dolls, symbols of wishes and promises of perseverance.

So, Katsuo-ji is the temple of winning, but not winning against an opponent, but rather, winning against your own weaknesses and whatever is holding you back from your success.

When you go to Katsuo-ji, or when you’re buying a daruma doll in general, don’t purchase the biggest one. Purchase the one that calls to you.

Create a goal and write it on the bottom. A specific goal, one that’s measurable, is better than something generic. Something like getting a promotion, finishing a book you’ve been writing, or moving somewhere new are better than something like “being happy” because happiness, though attainable, isn’t measurable.

Light incense and offer gratitude into it, then let that smoke consume the daruma.

Then, face the daruma towards you. Write your initials on the daruma’s right eye (which is your left when you’re looking at it). Then, color over your initials to create the full dot of the eye.

Set the daruma somewhere where you’ll see it daily so it’s a reminder for you to be strong and do the things you need to do.

When you achieve your goal, color in the daruma’s other eye. You can bring it back to the temple, as many people do at Katsuo-ji, which is how the Kachi-Daruma dedication shelf was startetd. Or, you can participate in a daruma burning festival. Katsuo-ji holds one annually in late December.

What To See And Do At Katsuo-ji Temple

Buy A Daruma Omikuji

When you go to a temple or shrine in Japan, there is a space to purchase souvenirs and omikuji, which are paper fortunes. You open your fortune on temple grounds and read it. If your fortune is bad, you tie it (in a designated area) and leave it there. If your fortune is good, you keep it.

At Katsuo-ji, the paper fortune is found at the base of a tiny daruma. Those small daruma are the ones you’ll see all over the temple grounds.

What’s interesting about the daruma omikuji, which you’ll only find at Katsuo-ji, is that the fortunes aren’t good or bad, like they are at other temples. Instead, they’re inspiring. They’re filled with motivational and guiding words specifically for that recipient.

You can tie that fortune to the temple grounds to connect you to the Buddha, then leave your daruma on the grounds somewhere.

Stamp Rally

One of my regrets in life is not starting a stamp collection the first time I went to Japan. I was 17 then and someone should’ve told me to do it. But no one did and now I’m sad.

So I’m telling you.

Almost everywhere in Japan has a stamp. From train stations to baseball stadiums to Universal Studios Japan. They’re very popular and free souvenirs from Japan, which is great because you may spend all your money on ramen.

There are certain locations that have a stamp rally, which means you go to multiple stations at that location and layer the stamps to create a beautiful image.

Katsuo-ji has one of these. At the entrance to the temple, you get a postcard that you take to each of the six stations spread throughout the temple grounds.

The stations are clearly noted so it’s really easy to find them. Plus, they give you a good excuse to see the whole temple instead of just stopping at the entrance gate.

Since you’re hand stamping this, each postcard is the same but a little different, which is pretty beautiful.

The stamps change with the seasons, so if you’ve been before, you may encounter a different scene next time.

Is Katsuo-ji Temple Worth Visiting?

I loved every second of being at Katsuo-ji. For me, one of the most important parts of visiting Japan is going to temples and absorbing the energy on the grounds there.

I make sure to visit Tōdai-ji, the famous Buddhist temple in Nara, every time I go to Japan and as soon as I step inside, I just cry. The feeling of standing in a space that has had people standing in it for 1,300 years is incredible.

I’ve been there four times. But each time, a different version of me has been there. And a different version of me has left there.

When we think about Japan, we think about technology and flashing lights and futuristic Tokyo, but there is also these deep, rich thousands of years old traditions. Standing amongst them is so incredibly humbling.

That’s why you should go to temples and shrines. That’s why you should go to Katsuo-ji.

You step onto the temple grounds, you are greeted by the Sanmon Gate, representing the barrier between the secular world and the sacred grounds. You look around and you start to notice some daruma around.

You cross the Okiyome Bridge, taking you over a body of misty water, which cleanses you as you enter the temple grounds, and again, more daruma. It is impossible for me to explain to you just how many tiny daruma dolls are on the grounds. There are thousands.

And then it hits you. Each one represents a wish, a hope, a dream. And to be standing amongst all those people’s wishes and yearnings and desires … it’s overwhelming in the most beautiful way.

Visitor Tips

What To Wear

Shrines and temples are religious places, so you want to be respectful when you’re in them. That means covering your shoulders (so no tank tops or halter tops) and not wearing things like crop tops or short shorts. You’ll still be allowed to enter Katsuo-ji no matter what you’re wearing, and we did see some young women in very questionable outfits, but this is a religious space and you should dress accordingly.

You also want to make sure that you’re wearing sneakers. Katsuo-ji is about the equivalent of a 10-story building in elevation, so you need proper footwear to go up the inclines.

What To Bring

Besides a respectful attitude, you want to bring water so you stay hydrated. The gift shop at the entrance of Katsuo-ji is filled with drink vending machines, so you don’t need to bring a bottle with you but you want to buy one there so you can drink it as you go through the temple grounds. There are water vending machines near the temple gift shop at the halfway or so point, so you can buy another there.

That means you should also bring some coins for those machines.

You also want to bring your camera. You’ll definitely want to take photos of all of the daruma. If you get the daruma omikuji, and you decide to leave it there, you’ll want to take a photo of the QR code on it so you can use that to look up your fortune later.

Eat Before You Go

There isn’t any actual food at or near Katsuo-ji. You can buy Wagelato Daruma (gelato wrapped in mochi) and packaged souvenir-type snacks at the gift shop at the temple’s entrance, but nothing that resembles a meal.

Once you exit the gift shop and enter the temple grounds, there is a stand selling baby castella. Those are one of my favorite things to eat in Japan, so I did buy a bag, but they’re mini sponge cakes shaped like daruma, and they’re not the proper fuel for your 90 minute or so walk around the temple. So, make sure that you eat before you go or pack a snack with you.

Be Wary If You’re Claustrophobic

When you get to the bus station, you have the option of taking a bus or taxi to the temple. The buses can get very crowded. We went on a Tuesday morning and the buses were standing room only. Because the bus runs about every 20 minutes, they try to fit as many people on as possible.

If you’re claustrophobic or have any sort of nervousness around crowded spaces, you may want to take a taxi cab instead.

Visiting Minoh Falls After Katsuo-ji

When you’re at the bus station getting on the bus to Katsuo-ji, you have the option to buy a one-way or round-trip ticket. You don’t save any money by buying the round-trip ticket, it’s just more convenient.

But, we suggest that you buy the one-way ticket. Then, when you exit Katsuo-ji, go to the taxi line and take a taxi to the Dainichi parking lot. You’ll walk downhill, mostly, to the Minoh Waterfall. The falls are beautiful and we found a hidden heart at the bottom of it so that was really special.

You can then walk from there through Minoh Park, which is filled with trees and signs telling you to watch out for monkeys (although we didn’t see any), passing the popular Minoh Park Insectarium, and end up at the Hankyu Minoh train station, which you can take back to wherever you’re staying.

Quick note: If you’re going this way, the majority of your walk is downhill. If you start at the falls, you’ll walk uphill from the train station, uphill from the falls to the parking lot, need a mobile app for a taxi (because they don’t wait there), and then go to Katsuo-ji.