Byodo-In Temple

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Tucked away in the back of the Valley of the Temples cemetery is a replica of the 11th-century Temple at Uji in Japan. A 2-ton carved wooden statue of the Buddha presides inside the main temple building. Next to the temple building are a meditation pavilion and gardens set dramatically against the sheer, green cliffs of the Koolau Mountains. You can ring the 5-foot, 3-ton brass bell for good luck and feed some of the hundreds of carp, ducks, and turtles that inhabit the garden's 2-acre pond. Or, you can enjoy the peaceful surroundings and just relax. www.byodo-in.com. COST: $3. OPEN: Daily 9--5.