This guide covers Ryotanji Temple, Iinoya Shrine, the Kiga Sekisho, and Hohkoji Temple in Iinoya, Hamamatsu, and sets out the routes between them together with the times and prices for each place.
The plan here is simple: begin the morning at the temple with the garden, give it time rather than walking straight through, and only then decide what else fits. The shrine next door is an easy addition. The checkpoint and the other temple depend on how you are travelling, so treat them as optional extras.
The practical details are gathered into a pair of small tables. The table of routes sets out the ways of moving between the places and how long each leg takes, and the table at the end sets out visiting times and prices. Compare them before you set out and decide how much to fit into a single day.
Getting to Iinoya
Hamamatsu Station is the usual starting point, and the Tenryu Hamanako Railroad brings you to Kanasashi Station and Kiga Station, the stops that serve the temple and the checkpoint. From the Hamamatsu-Inasa Interchange, it is about ten minutes by car to Iinoya Shrine.
If you drive, the temple's large parking lot has space for twelve large buses and forty passenger cars. The table below lists the legs you are most likely to combine.
| Route | Time or fare |
|---|---|
| Car, Hamamatsu Station to Iinoya Shrine | about fifty minutes |
| Taxi, Kanasashi Station to Ryotanji Temple | about five minutes |
| Taxi, Kiga Station to Ryotanji Temple | about five minutes |
| On foot, Kanasashi Station to Iinoya Shrine | about thirty minutes |
| On foot, Kiga Station to the Kiga Sekisho | about three minutes |
| Bus, Hamamatsu Station to the Okuyama stop | six hundred and thirty yen |
Ryotanji Temple
Ryotanji is described as the family temple of the Ii clan through the generations. Allow about sixty minutes for a visit to Ryotanji Temple. Viewing hours run from nine in the morning to four in the afternoon. The gate closes at half past four.
The garden is described as a pond-viewing garden laid out by Kobori Enshu, with rock groupings and built-up mounds standing for the crane and the tortoise. Seen from the front, the outline of the pond is described as tracing the written character for heart. The living quarters are described as the spot from which to take in the whole garden.
The graveyard is described as holding the grave stones of Ii Naotora, Ii Naochika, and Ii Naomasa.
Before leaving, note a couple of smaller points. The well tied to the birthplace of the Ii clan's founder is about two minutes on foot from the temple approach. The bell in the bell tower can be rung from January the first to the fifth.
Iinoya Shrine
Iinoya Shrine follows on directly from the temple. Ryotanji is described as lying immediately to the south of Iinoya Shrine. The tomb of Prince Munenaga is described as standing behind the shrine.
For drivers there is a practical note here. A purification for a car, motorcycle, or bicycle is offered from three thousand yen per request.
The Kiga Sekisho
The Kiga Sekisho is the stop that works best on foot from the railway. The checkpoint is open all year round. From Kiga Station, the walk to the checkpoint takes three minutes.
Adult prices are in the table at the end, but there is a concession to note. Admission is free for visitors aged seventy or over, with proof of age needed.
Hohkoji Temple
Hohkoji Temple is the other temple, worth adding if you are driving. From the Hamamatsu-Inasa Interchange, Hohkoji Temple is about eight minutes by car. The grounds are described as dotted with more than five hundred stone figures of the disciples of the Buddha. At Hohkoji Temple, admission for elementary and junior high school students is three hundred yen.
Hours and Fees at a Glance
The figures below bring together the prices and times from the sections above.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ryotanji Temple, adult admission | seven hundred yen |
| Ryotanji Temple, visiting hours | nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, with the gate closing at half past four |
| The Kiga Sekisho, adult admission | two hundred yen |
| The Kiga Sekisho, opening hours | nine in the morning to half past four in the afternoon |
| Hohkoji Temple, adult admission | seven hundred yen |
| Set ticket for Hohkoji Temple and Ryotanji Temple, adult | one thousand two hundred yen |