Katsuoji Temple from Osaka – How to Visit the Daruma Temple of Good Luck!

If there is one temple that you must visit in Osaka, it’s Katsuoji Temple.

This gorgeous place of worship, set high in the mountains, is where locals visit to help make a wish come true.  

It’s a place filled with thousands of Daruma dolls that symbolise good luck! 

Katsuo-ji makes an easy day trip from Osaka, where you can explore the lush temple grounds, follow a stamp trail and receive your fortune. 

My friend and I visited as part of a trip to Minoh Falls and had a wonderful time taking photos of all the Darumas despite the rain. 

Here is how to visit Katsuoji Temple from Osaka, with everything you can do there.

Introducing Katsuo-ji Temple

Katsuoji Temple, otherwise known as the Temple of Winning Fortune, is a sacred complex in Minoh City near Osaka. 

Founded in the 8th century, it’s one of the oldest temples in all of the Kansai region. It’s also part of the Buddhist Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage.

Today, Katsuo-ji is known as the ‘temple of luck ’, and it is filled with thousands of Daruma dolls.

A Daruma is a round and hollow talisman formed after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism.

The lucky temple makes for both a fun and enlightening day trip on your travels through Osaka.

It used to be a hidden gem, but no longer. You’ll now find that it’s packed with people throughout the day, especially in autumn.

Despite this, it’s still worth visiting to aid in accomplishing your goals or to have your wishes fulfilled.  

How to visit Katsuoji Temple from Osaka 

Katsuoji Temple is located around 20 kilometres north of central Osaka in Minoh City. 

This is around a 45-minute drive or a 45-60 minute journey using public transport.

By far the easiest way to visit is to drive, and there is some parking available opposite the temple entrance.

If you’re not driving, you can take the Osaka Metro to Minoh-Kayano Station and then take a bus from Platform 8.

I will warn you, the buses are regular, but they are going to have long lines and be packed! We took a taxi to save time. 

There is a taxi rank outside of Minoh-Kayano Station, but ordering an Uber works just as well. 

Why not book a guided tour?

If you’d rather take the hassle out of planning a visit, you can also book a day trip that includes Katsuoji. I’ll list out some options below. 

Do you need to buy a ticket?

Yes, you do need to buy a ticket to enter Katsuo-ji Temple.

This is very easy to purchase at either the temple entrance or beforehand via the official website.

At the time of writing, admission is ¥500 (£2.32 / $3.12) for an adult. You simply purchase a web ticket to get instant confirmation. 

You can buy tickets on the day at the temple, but purchasing them beforehand will save you time, as you can fast-track the long queues. 

When is the best time to visit?

The best time to visit Katsuoji Temple would be during the momiji season, or autumn, in late November to early December. 

This is when all the trees turn vibrant reds, oranges and yellows, and it transforms into a whimsical wonderland! 

The scenery will be breathtaking during this time, and it’s a paradise for photography. Just prepare for it to be a lot more crowded.

If your trip isn’t in autumn, don’t worry. There really is no ‘bad’ time to visit as the Daruma doll temple is open all year round.

In terms of the time of day, I recommend visiting right at opening time. 

It can get really packed by late morning, so getting there for opening time means less queueing and crowds.

Katsuoji is open from 8 am to 5 pm Sunday to Friday and 8 am to 6 pm on Saturdays. The last admission is 30 minutes before close.

Things to do in Katsuoji Temple

A lot of people see Katsuoji Temple on social media and want to visit to take photos with the Daruma doll displays and collect the stamp postcard.

I’m not going to lie to you; I was in the same boat. 

However, I was pleasantly surprised at how many things there were to do at the temple other than the brief snippets of what you see online. 

Here are all the things you can do in Katsuo-Ji on a visit. 

1. Explore the lush temple grounds

Katsuo-ji Temple grounds are vast, and the elevated height provides a panoramic view of the Minoh valley below.

It’s surrounded by trees and lush foliage, and in autumn this looked like a wonderland awash with vibrant red, orange and yellow hues. 

There is a visitor route to follow at the temple that works on a one-way system.

You’ll find colourful Torii gates, shrines, cascades, daruma displays and the Main Hall on your way round. There are even koi carp in the pond. 

Every part of this temple was covered in tiny Daruma dolls, and it was so cute. I couldn’t stop taking photos. 

2. Katsuo-ji Temple Stamp Trail

When you enter the temple, you’ll receive a blank postcard as part of your ticket. This is for the unique Katsuo-ji Temple Stamp Trail.

How it works is that there are six stamp stations on the temple visitor route, labelled 1-6. 

Each stamp is a different colour and creates a different part of the picture.

On your way, you visit each station to slowly ‘build’ your ink portrait; once completed, the final picture is revealed!

It’s a fun activity at the temple and a great souvenir to take home.

One thing to note is that they change the temple stamp designs throughout the year. 

I have to admit, after seeing much nicer versions of this postcard on social media, we weren’t too keen on ours.

3. Take photos with Daruma Dolls

One of my favourite parts of visiting Katsuo-ji temple was taking photos with the Daruma doll displays.

There is an entire row of them set up in sheds at the temple, and they make the perfect photo opportunity. 

You do have to queue for this photo zone and, at busy periods, they run it on a rotation system. 

There are five Daruma displays up a set of stairs, and you’re meant to get 60 seconds in each section.

As we got to the temple for opening, there was no queue for us. So, we were free to take endless photos and videos of the Daruma.

This is another reason why it’s best to arrive at opening time. 

4. Katsuoji Main Hall 

As you make your way around the temple visitor route, you’ll eventually arrive at the Main Hall.

This hall enshrines the Eleven-Faced Thousand-Armed Kannon. You can pray by throwing coins, lighting incense and ringing the Suzu (rope bell).

Besides the Main Hall, there are smaller shrines, such as the water-pouring statue (Mizukake Kannon) and a sacred sand hall (Osunafumi).

5. Buy a Daruma-Mikuji (Daruma Fortune)

All of the miniature dolls that you see dotted around the temple are not technically Daruma dolls but Daruma-Mikuji (Daruma fortunes). 

You can purchase a Daruma fortune here in accordance with the 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching divination system. 

You pick one from a basket opposite the Main Hall, and they cost ¥500 a piece.

The doll has a paper fortune tucked inside. It will be in Japanese, but you can scan a QR code or use a translation app to read your fate.

I’m lucky that I have not had bad fortune yet in Japan (fingers crossed). All of my fortunes at various temples were either good or partially good. 

Beyond a fun look into your future, the doll makes a great souvenir to take home as it is small enough to tuck away in your suitcase.

6. Buy a Daruma doll (Kachi-Daruma) 

At the stall opposite the Main Hall, you can buy a Daruma doll or a Kachi-Daruma.

This is a great souvenir if you’re trying to win something, be successful in an interview, achieve good health, or pass exams. 

Each one is perfectly round and painted red with the symbol for winning (勝) painted on its tummy.

When you purchase a Daruma doll, it will have no eyes. The custom is to paint the left eye black when making your wish (the right when facing you).

You should also write your wish down on the back of the doll at the temple. 

Leave the doll in an open place where you will look at it every day, like a shelf or desk. When your wish comes true, you can then paint the right eye!

The Daruma dolls come in all shapes and sizes and can be pretty expensive, so keep that in mind. 

Typically, they cost around ¥3,000 – ¥5, 000 (£14 – £25). But the larger and more detailed ones can cost over ¥20,000 (£100).

You can also buy plenty of Daruma-themed gifts in the Katsuoji Temple gift shop. 

There are Daruma keyrings, plush toys, magnets, sweets, and a variety of snacks. 

7. Eat Daruma Pancakes

One thing I was obsessed with in Japan was the mini sponge cakes (castella) you could buy, shaped like a character or animal.

Just outside of the Katsuoji Temple gift shop, you’ll find a stand selling freshly cooked Daruma pancakes. 

As it was raining heavily on our visit and chilly from the mountain air, they were a welcome warm snack and so delicious.

Many of these sponge cakes were shaped like Daruma dolls. I almost felt bad eating them as they were so kawaii. 

Just note that they sell like hot cakes (literally) and there is often a large queue for them.

8. Daruma photo booth

As I was with my friend, we decided to get a souvenir to remember our visit, with a session in the Daruma photo booth.

It’s located by the drink machines in the gift shop, and you can get some cute photos taken with a Daruma doll backdrop. 

I brought my Daruma Miffy with me to the temple and loved getting her involved, haha.

There were lots of options to choose from, and we even got a fun video as part of the package to download to our phones. 

Is Katsuoji Temple worth visiting?

Yes, Katsuoji Temple is well worth visiting as a day trip from Osaka. Despite the rain, my friend and I had a magical time.

It was one of my favourite temples I visited on my trip to Japan.

In autumn, this lush complex was a paradise for photography, and I loved posing with the Daruma displays and getting my temple stamp.

But I was also pleasantly surprised at how large the temple was and how many amazing things you could do here.

Don’t skip a visit to Katsuoji Temple from Osaka. This lucky temple makes a great day trip with Minoh Park.

How long do you need to visit? 

I would say you need around 1-3 hours to visit Katsuo-ji temple. It’s a vast temple complex with lots to see and do during a visit.

This temple is a paradise for photography, and we spent most of our time here snapping photos with all the gorgeous Daruma dolls.

There are also six stamp stations, and these sometimes have queues if the temple is crowded. 

To make the most of your day trip, I would combine this temple with a visit to Minoh Falls.

Visit Minoh Falls next

After you visit Katsuo-ji Temple, you must head to the nearby Minoh Falls. 

Minoh Park (also spelt Minoo) is a national park in Japan. Located in a mountain valley, it’s filled with tall trees, plants and insects. 

The main reason people visit this paradise is Minoh Falls, a magical cascade nestled in foliage. In autumn, it was utterly breathtaking.

Unfortunately, buses are not running here currently. But, you can easily hail a cab outside the Katsuo-Ji temple to visit. 

Some helpful tips

• I would visit at the opening time of 8 am to avoid crowds and long queues.

• Make sure to wear some sensible shoes, especially if you’re visiting Minoh Park as well.

• Bring some coins with you for shrines and vending machines. Taxis sometimes only take cash. Cards were accepted at the temple.

• It shouldn’t need to be said, but this is a place of worship. Please be respectful when visiting and taking photos or videos. 

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