Kyoto's Largest Wooden Temple Holds A Truly Unsettling Giant Artifact Made Of Human Hair

The stunning historic city of Kyoto is home to thousands of temples and shrines (many of which are located in awe-inspiring mountainous settings), so it can be hard to choose which ones to visit. If you're interested in exploring the fascinating history of one of the most gorgeous cities in Japan without climbing up peaks, you should consider the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. 

As Kyoto's largest wooden building (and one of the largest in the world), you're sure to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple when you step through its ornate, towering gates. There are two main buildings separated by a wooden bridge. On that bridge, you'll find the temple's most unusual artifact — an enormous rope coil made from human hair. It's so large that it weighs almost 830 pounds.

As you're padding around the ornate temple buildings barefoot, you're unlikely to come across too many other visitors, just the occasional worshipper. This surprisingly peaceful and uncrowded place is located in the bustling neighborhood of Shimogyo-ku, only 10 minutes away from Kyoto Station on foot. If you're looking for a budget-friendly destination for your trip to Japan, you're in luck. Higashi Hongan-ji Temple is completely free to enter.

If you aren't expecting to see it, coming upon such a massive quantity of hair woven into a powerful cable is certainly surprising. However, this unusual artifact is wound up tightly with the history of this beautiful place. This unusual construction tool has been preserved because it is a part of the temple's history and is often seen as a symbolic representation of how the temple (and perhaps the Buddhist faith as a whole) is supported by the sacrifices of believers.

The original temple dates back to the Edo period, but terrible fires destroyed the original wooden structures in 1864. Rebuilding such an enormous wooden structure required hauling some truly massive trees into Kyoto. The ordinary rope available during this time was weak, and people were killed while transporting the heavy logs. To complete the reconstruction safely, women who were believers donated their long hair from all over Japan. The hair was combined with hemp to make strong, durable ropes that could bear the weight of the necessary trees being transported. While the rope on display is certainly staggering, the longest one believed to be made was about as long as a football field.

The rope made of human hair may be the most unusual sight that Higashi Hongan-ji Temple has to offer, but it is far from the only one. Make sure to keep in mind that this is not just a historical site but an active place of worship that may be important or even sacred to the people around you, so read up on the unspoken etiquette rules you should know before visiting a Buddhist Temple. Consider giving yourself a ceremonial purification with the water at the chozuya (pictured). It has a dynamic sculpture of a dragon that you won't want to miss.

The best place to begin is the Founder's Hall. It is the largest wood structure in Kyoto, and when you're inside, you can certainly feel that impressive size. As you approach the altar, you'll see a wooden statue of the founder of the Jodo Shinshu Sect, but you will likely be distracted by the breathtaking painting on the walls created by the artist Kōno Bairei. You should then make your way across the bridge to the Amida Hall. This is also a wooden building, and the inside is practically caked with gold. The interior is dazzling, and once your eyes adjust to the opulence, make sure to look for the delicate painting by Chikudō Kishi on the doors on the left side of the altar.