When people visit Kyoto, understandably they tend to go for the bigger attractions first, but if you have a bit more time and want to get away from the crowd to see something special, you definitely should not miss Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple [ 愛宕念仏寺 ] in Arashiyama [ 嵐山 ] where tourists usually check out the beautiful bamboo forest.
Although not very well known, this is one of my favorite temples in Kyoto. It has character. So what's so different about this temple? There are 1200+ small rakan [ 羅漢 ] stone statues, each with a different expression. Some are cute and others are serious. It is quite a sight! Yes, it is a bit out of the way and not really close to anything else, but totally worth the trouble especially if you've seen the other "main sights" in Kyoto.
You can find more info on the website of Otagi Nenbutsu-Ji. It opens from 8 am to 5 pm and costs 300 yen.
Since it takes about an hour to take the bus there from Kyoto Station, it's probably faster to take the train to Arashiyama then switching to a bus/taxi. If you want to take the bus directly from Kyoto Station, go to bus stop C6 [ Ｃ６のりば ], right out of the station and take bus 74 bound for Arashiyama-Kyotaki [ 嵐山・清滝 ].
View Larger Map : Arashiyama Station to Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple
If you're going from Hankyu Arashiyama EkiMae [ 阪急 嵐山 駅前 ],take Kyoto bus [ 京都バス ] 62, 64, or 72 bound for Kyotaki [ 清滝行 ] for 15 minutes and get off at Otagidera Mae [ おたぎでら前 ], but buses don't run that frequently.
