Items | Nara: Hozan-ji Temple Guided Tour with Cable Car Ride
Nara: Hozan-ji Temple Guided Tour with Cable Car Ride
Important Information
•
Public transportation options are available nearby
•
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
•
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
•
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
•
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
•
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
•
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Become our Lokal Curator
Are you ready to turn your hobbies into a business?
Discover a hidden spiritual world just beyond the city. This tour to Hozan-ji Temple takes you deep into the sacred slopes of Mt. Ikoma—just 30 minutes from Osaka, yet worlds away in atmosphere. You’ll ride Japan’s oldest commercial cable car, then explore a historic temple revered for over a thousand years as a site of mountain worship and business prosperity.
With a knowledgeable local guide, you'll visit Hozan-ji’s colorful halls, learn about Shōten, the deity of fortune worshipped by Osaka merchants, and walk through the Oku-no-in, a secluded sanctuary of stone Buddhas and ancient caves once used by monks. Few foreign travelers know this place—but those who do never forget it.
Accessib...
Highlights
2 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
2 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Scenic ride on Japan’s oldest commercial cable car
Visit to Oku-no-in (inner sanctuary)
Guided tour of the temple grounds
Visit to Hozan-ji Temple
Meeting Points
Departure
Ikoma Station
The meeting point is in front of the Central Ticket Gate at Ikoma Station.
Our guide will be waiting for you with a yellow sign panel.
For more details, please refer to the map.
Return
Nara: Hozan-ji Temple Guided Tour with Cable Car Ride
About
Discover a hidden spiritual world just beyond the city. This tour to Hozan-ji Temple takes you deep into the sacred slopes of Mt. Ikoma—just 30 minutes from Osaka, yet worlds away in atmosphere. You’ll ride Japan’s oldest commercial cable car, then explore a historic temple revered for over a thousand years as a site of mountain worship and business prosperity.
With a knowledgeable local guide, you'll visit Hozan-ji’s colorful halls, learn about Shōten, the deity of fortune worshipped by Osaka merchants, and walk through the Oku-no-in, a secluded sanctuary of stone Buddhas and ancient caves once used by monks. Few foreign travelers know this place—but those who do never forget it.
Accessib...
Highlights
2 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
2 hours
Offered in Japanese & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Scenic ride on Japan’s oldest commercial cable car
Visit to Oku-no-in (inner sanctuary)
Guided tour of the temple grounds
Visit to Hozan-ji Temple
Meeting Points
Departure
Ikoma Station
The meeting point is in front of the Central Ticket Gate at Ikoma Station.
Our guide will be waiting for you with a yellow sign panel.
For more details, please refer to the map.
Return
Itinerary
1
Ikoma Cable Car
Step aboard Japan’s oldest commercial cable car and ascend the forested slopes of Mt. Ikoma in comfort and style. This charming ride connects Ikoma Station to Hozan-ji Temple and offers a unique, scenic journey through the mountains—complete with retro-style cars and panoramic views. It’s not just transportation—it’s part of the pilgrimage experience, echoing the path once walked by monks and worshippers.
30 minutes
2
Hozan-ji Temple
Perched on the mountainside, Hozan-ji is a sacred site steeped in centuries of spiritual practice. Originally a cave retreat for ascetic monks, the temple was revived in the Edo period and gained fame for enshrining Shōten (Kangiten), the deity of prosperity and good fortune. Its vibrant halls, incense-filled air, and dramatic mountain setting make it a deeply atmospheric place of worship—one where the spiritual and physical worlds intertwine. Businesspeople still visit today, following in the footsteps of Osaka merchants who once came under the cover of night to offer their prayers.
