Kunisaki Peninsula Rokugo Manzan Buddhist Villages Course

The Kunisaki Peninsula still preserves Rokugo Manzan culture, a unique faith blending gods and Buddhas. This calming course visits cliff-carved Buddhas and old temples set deep in the mountains, touring quiet villages of faith.

Course Route

9:30 Start from the Usa and Kunisaki area Drive to the Kunisaki Peninsula. Following coastal and countryside roads, aim for the temples in the inland part of the peninsula.

10:00 Kyushu's oldest hall at Fukiji Start at Fukiji. At the end of a green approach stands the main hall, said to date from the Heian period and designated a National Treasure as one of the oldest surviving wooden buildings in Kyushu, with a quiet dignity.

11:30 View the statues at Makiodo At Makiodo, view up close a group of powerful Buddhist statues, including a striking image of Fudo Myoo. The hall preserves images from the once-flourishing temple of Maki-san Denjoji.

12:30 Lunch at a village eatery Enjoy home-style cooking made with local vegetables and seafood at an eatery in a village on the peninsula.

14:00 Worship at the Kumano cliff Buddhas After climbing a steep stone staircase of natural rock, giant Buddhas carved into the cliff appear, the Kumano Magaibutsu, a signature sight of the peninsula. Admission is 500 yen for adults and high school students and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students (revised on 1 April 2026). Viewing hours differ between summer and winter, so allow time.

15:30 Feel the mountain air at Futagoji Finish at Futagoji, standing at the center of the peninsula. Known as the head temple of Rokugo Manzan, its cedar-shaded grounds are wrapped in quiet mountain air.

Highlights

The two great highlights are the power of the cliff-carved Kumano Buddhas and the weathered beauty of Fukiji's main hall, a National Treasure. The unique atmosphere of blended faith that pervades the whole peninsula is itself the appeal.

Access and Tips

Because the temples are far apart, traveling by car is essential. Some cliff Buddhas require climbing steep stone steps, so head out in comfortable walking shoes. Many temples charge admission of around 300 to 500 yen, so having small change makes things smooth. Viewing hours vary by site and many close by early evening, so starting in the morning is recommended.

Practical Travel Notes

• Time needed: visiting the four sites takes about five to six hours including travel. The temples are 20 to 40 minutes apart by car, so a relaxed one-day plan is realistic.
• Budget: admission runs 300 to 500 yen per site (Fukiji, Maki Odo and the Kumano Magaibutsu are 500 yen each for adults; Futagoji is 300 yen), roughly 1,800 yen for all four. Even with lunch, the day stays fairly affordable.
• Best season and time: early-summer greenery and the autumn foliage that colors the temple approaches are especially beautiful. For quiet, aim for the morning when tour groups are few.
• Note on viewing hours: the Kumano Magaibutsu is open 8:00 to 17:00 from April to October and 8:00 to 16:30 from November to March, so hours shift by season. Set out early in winter.
• Nearby real spots: the peninsula also has sites such as Monjusenji temple and, nearby, Usa Jingu shrine. Combining with the Usa area extends the day into worship and history walking.

A Quick Tip

Many temples sit quietly in the mountains, so touring slowly without rushing is recommended. The steep stone steps up to the cliff Buddhas can be slippery, so watch your footing, especially after rain. As you press your palms together, savor the unhurried time that flows across the peninsula.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Fukiji Temple: 2395 Tashibu Fuki, Bungotakada City. Open for viewing from 8:30 to 16:30; admission is 500 yen for adults and high school students and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students. There is a car park. In wet weather the interior of the Odo hall cannot be viewed
• Maki Odo: 1796 Tashibu Maki, Bungotakada City. Open for viewing from 8:30 to 17:00, all year round. Admission is 500 yen for adults and high school students and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students (400 yen for groups of 30 or more, half price on presentation of a disability certificate) * revised on April 1 of Reiwa 8. Parking is free with space for 5 buses and 30 ordinary cars
• Kumano Magaibutsu: 2546-3 Tashibu Hirano, Bungotakada City. Open for viewing from 8:30 to 17:00 from April to October and from 8:30 to 16:30 from November to March. Admission is 500 yen for adults and high school students and 150 yen for elementary and junior high school students (400 yen and 120 yen for groups of 30 or more, half price on presentation of a disability certificate). Parking for 10 cars
• Futagoji Temple: 1548 Futago, Aki-machi, Kunisaki City. Open for viewing from 8:30 to 16:30, admission 300 yen
• Getting between the stops: The first three sites are all in the same Tashibu district, around 10 minutes apart by car. From Kumano Magaibutsu to Futagoji you cross the peninsula, so allow about 40 minutes
• Total time required: Five to six hours including viewing and travel. Once you add lunch it becomes a full day's outing
• Getting around: The temples are separated from one another by mountain passes, so touring them by local bus is not realistic. This is a route that assumes a rental car
• Budget guide: Admission to all four sites totals 1,800 yen for an adult (Fukiji 500 yen + Maki Odo 500 yen + Kumano Magaibutsu 500 yen + Futagoji 300 yen). Even adding lunch and petrol you can make the round for around 3,000 yen per person
• In wet weather: The stone steps at Kumano Magaibutsu are natural rock and become extremely slippery on rainy days. At Fukiji you also cannot enter the Odo hall in the rain, so on days with a rainy forecast it is more practical to rearrange the plan around Maki Odo (whose treasure hall is indoors) and Futagoji
• Footing and clothing: The stone steps at Kumano Magaibutsu are the toughest part. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, and in summer insect repellent is reassuring. The mountain areas are cooler than the town
• Strollers and wheelchairs: The stone steps at Kumano Magaibutsu cannot be climbed with a stroller or wheelchair. Fukiji and Futagoji also have stone steps on their approaches. Maki Odo is relatively flat, and viewing there centers on the treasure hall
• To avoid the crowds: Car parks fill up easily at weekends in early summer when the foliage is fresh and during the autumn leaf season, and Kumano Magaibutsu in particular has only 10 spaces. Early in the morning is the time to aim for
• Meals: There are hardly any restaurants in the Tashibu district. Plan your timing on the assumption that you will eat in the Showa no Machi area of central Bungotakada or at a roadside station on the Kunisaki City side
• Places to combine it with: The Kunisaki Peninsula is also home to Monjusenji Temple, and if you head toward Usa you can extend the trip into a two-day, one-night plan combined with Usa Jingu Shrine

Information Sources

The viewing hours and admission fees for Fukiji and Kumano Magaibutsu, the car parks, the arrangements for viewing the Odo hall in wet weather, and the fact that walking sticks are lent out at the reception desk are based on the guides to each site published on the official tourism website of Bungotakada City. The viewing hours, admission fees, number of parking spaces and address of Maki Odo, the fact that nine nationally designated Important Cultural Property statues are enshrined in its treasure hall, and that its former name was Bajosan Denjoji and it was the largest temple of the Rokugo Manzan with 36 sub-temples come from the official website of Maki Odo. The viewing hours, admission fee and address of Futagoji, its standing as the head temple of the Rokugo Manzan since the Edo period, its stone Nio statues, the blessings of longevity and fertility, and its selection among Japan's 100 best forest bathing woodlands were taken from the tourism information published by Kunisaki City. The scale of the Kumano Magaibutsu carvings, with the Fudo Myoo figure about 8 meters and the Dainichi Nyorai figure about 7 meters, also comes from information published by Bungotakada City. Admission fees are occasionally revised and viewing hours change with the season. Please check the official information before you set out.