Hōki-in: Tokudō's Small Temple on the Hase Approach

Pause at a small pilgrimage temple associated with monk Tokudō before or after Hasedera.

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Discover Hōki-in: Tokudō's Small Temple on the Hase Approach

Hōki-in sits within Hasedera's former temple town, but it is a separate place of worship with its own entrance. Temple and tourism traditions associate it with Tokudō, the monk linked to Hasedera's Kannon devotion and the beginning of the Saigoku thirty-three-temple pilgrimage. The quieter scale lets visitors concentrate on a seated image of the monk, a memorial stone pagoda and small devotional details instead of expecting another grand Hasedera hall. The temple's old website dates its legendary foundation to 735, while Sakurai City's visitor page says 726; neither date should be presented as independently verified archaeology.

See a pilgrimage story beside Hasedera

Nara Prefecture calls Hōki-in an extra, or bangai, site of the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage and describes it as the place where Tokudō retired. The Saigoku pilgrimage association likewise places it along the Hasedera approach. That explains why pilgrims may stop here even though Hasedera itself is the numbered eighth site. Do not confuse a stamp or prayer at Hōki-in with Hasedera admission; each institution has its own arrangements.

Look for the monk and the small precinct details

The temple's own precinct guide describes a seated image of Tokudō, a thirteen-storey stone pagoda associated with his memorial and a stone linked in tradition to removing his footwear. It dates a rebuilding of the present hall to 1695 and says the hall faces north toward Hasedera's Kannon. Another prefectural page describes a 'postcard tree' whose leaf can be marked for prayers. These are devotional traditions, not invitations to damage a tree or handle an object without permission. Follow temple signs and staff direction.

Use the seasonal time window

Nara Prefecture currently lists 08:30–17:00 from 20 March through 30 November and 09:00–16:30 from 1 December through 19 March, with ordinary precinct admission free and no regular closing day. Sakurai City's multilingual visitor page describes a donation-based visit and estimates 15–30 minutes. Those statements can coexist: there is no fixed entry ticket listed, while a voluntary offering is appropriate. Special displays or prayer services may have different access.

Plan for steps, not just map distance

The prefecture puts the temple roughly fifteen minutes on foot from Kintetsu Hasedera Station and about three minutes from Hasedera's approach. The station-to-town route and the temple entrance include changes in level; the prefecture's accessibility leaflet specifically notes steps at the entrance. Use a current route and ask the temple about access if stairs are a barrier. A short visit fits naturally into the approach, but it should not be merged into a promise that every Hasedera building is nearby or step-free.

What to look for

Extra Saigoku pilgrimage site associated with Tokudō

Seated monk image and thirteen-storey memorial pagoda

Small pause on the Hasedera temple-town approach

Photo notes

No photograph of the monk statue, memorial, trees or precinct is licensed for MyNara. Ask before interior photography and do not mark leaves or touch devotional objects without local permission. Do not reuse prefectural or directory photographs.

Plan your visit

Location776 Hase, Sakurai · prefectural directory marker, not a measured entrance

Visitor detailsAddress: 776 Hase, SakuraiHours: 20 Mar–30 Nov 08:30–17:00; 1 Dec–19 Mar 09:00–16:30, per prefectureAdmission: No fixed ordinary entry fee listed; voluntary offering described by Sakurai CityRail: About 15 min walk from Kintetsu Hasedera Station, per prefectureAccessibility: Steps at temple entrance noted in prefectural access leafletParking: Temple's older access page lists six free spaces; reconfirm before drivingContact: 0744-47-8032 in prefectural listingVisitor information sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Confirm current hours and fees before visiting.Check source for visitor details The temple's HTTP history and access pages were readable, but its HTTPS endpoint failed certificate verification and the site appears older. The temple website is an older HTTP site and its HTTPS endpoint could not be verified; current public references are themselves dated (the Nanto Bank guide says updated 2016, while the prefectural guide lists hours but no current review date). Keep hours, free entry, and parking explicitly attributed to those secondary sources and confirm directly before a trip or publication. The temple tradition dates founding to 735, while Sakurai City's visitor page says 726. Admission to Hōki-in does not include Hasedera; special displays have dated conditions.

Getting thereFollow the Hasedera temple-town route from Kintetsu Hasedera Station; Nara Prefecture estimates fifteen minutes to Hōki-in and Sakurai City places it a few minutes from Hasedera. Search for 法起院, 776 Hase rather than the similarly named Hōki-ji in Ikaruga. Allow for a sloped town approach and steps at the temple entrance. The map point is approximate.

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Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.

Sources & editorial status

Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.