Monado / CC BY-SA 2.5

Founded by legend in 594 to cure Empress Suiko's eye disease, Gakuenji was for centuries the largest temple in Izumo Province and a major Shugendo mountain-training site centered on the Uro-no-taki waterfall. Its grounds hold two 7th-century bronze Kannon statues and were designated a National Historic Site in 2016.

Best season

Spring for fresh greenery · Autumn for foliage

Crowd level

Hidden gem

Rating

4.1· 488 reviews

Opening hours

Daily 8:00 AM – 4:15 PM

Usual hours — confirm with the official site for holidays + seasonal closures.

Nearest station

Unshu-Hirata Station (Ichibata Railway)

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