Hokanji Temple

In the game

In Rise of the Ronin, Hokanji Temple is a landmark in Kyoto's Higashiyama district, where a dark five-storey pagoda rises over tiled temple roofs and autumn trees. The game places it in an open temple yard, while the real pagoda stands at the top of a narrow sloping street.

The real place

The five-storey pagoda of Hōkan-ji, known as the Yasaka Pagoda, is about 46 metres tall. The temple is said to date back to the 6th century, and the present pagoda was rebuilt in 1440 by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshinori. It is one of the best-known sights of old Kyoto.

Visiting

Walk up Yasaka-dōri or along Ninenzaka at dawn to photograph the pagoda framed by wooden machiya houses without the crowds. The temple is small, and the inside of the pagoda is only open on some days.

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