Saiho-ji Temple

Saiho-ji Temple is located almost at the center of Takehara’s Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings, and from here you can overlook the town of Takehara. It is conveniently about a 20-minute walk from JR Takehara Station, and because you can enjoy the traditional streetscape along the way, the walk should not feel too long. It is said to have been built in 1758 in imitation of Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, so if you have visited Kiyomizu-dera, be sure to keep that in mind as you look around. Nearby is "Taketsuru Sake Brewery," often considered a representative name in Japanese whisky. It is the birthplace of Masataka Taketsuru, known as the father of Japanese whisky, and it gained wider recognition as the model for the NHK morning drama series "Massan." This preservation district is a valuable cultural heritage site, but it also includes private homes owned by people who live here, so please enjoy your visit without being too noisy.