Travel in Nagano
Zenkoji Temple
Zenkoji Temple · 善光寺
Follow Zenkoji’s Nakamise approach to the grounds and main hall. Inside are the inner sanctuary for worship and the dark underground Okaidan passage. For worship beyond a grounds walk, choose the sanctuary/Okaidan ticket.
Zenkoji: seasonal sanctuary hours and 28 December exception Official sources Official sources
Visitor information
Address
長野県長野市大字長野元善町491-イ
491-i Nagano-Motoyoshicho, Nagano City, Nagano, Japan 380-0851
Location on the mapAdmission
Temple grounds and the outer main-hall area are free. The ticket including sanctuary, Okaidan and Zenkoji History Museum costs 800 yen for adults/university students, 300 for junior/high-school students (grades 7–12), and 100 for elementary students (grades 1–6); preschool children enter free. Coverage differs from the 1,500-yen general combined ticket. Check included spaces if you also want Sanmon’s upper floor.
Opening hours
Sanctuary/Okaidan worship begins one hour before the morning service and ends at 16:30 April–October, 16:15 March/November, or 16:00 December–February. Morning service times vary by date; the grounds are listed as open all day. Basic hours for Kyozo and the history museum are 09:00–16:00.
What to see at Zenkoji Temple
Inner main hall and dark underground passage
Worship in the inner sanctuary before exploring the dark Okaidan passage. Add time inside the main hall to your temple-approach and grounds walk.
Zenkoji: visiting information Zenkoji: English worship guide
How to get to Zenkoji Temple
Take a Zenkoji-bound bus from stand 1 at Nagano Station’s Zenkoji Exit bus area. Alight at Zenkoji Daimon and walk about five minutes to the main hall. The temple’s approximately 15-minute bus time excludes waiting and the walk after alighting.
Before you visit
Check ticket coverage for Sanmon’s upper floor
The grounds and outer main-hall area are free, while sanctuary/Okaidan worship and Sanmon’s upper floor are paid. Do not assume a sanctuary ticket includes the upper floor; choose a ticket for the spaces you want to visit.
28 December sanctuary visits and Kyozo access
Every 28 December, sanctuary visits end with the morning service. The Kyozo scripture repository has an access-suspension notice for inspections of the ageing building; check official notices if planning to visit it.
Questions about Zenkoji Temple
Does a Zenkoji main-hall ticket include Sanmon’s upper floor?
Sanctuary/Okaidan tickets differ from Sanmon upper-floor tickets. To visit both, check each ticket’s included areas, including combined-ticket options.
Official sources
- Zenkoji: seasonal sanctuary hours and 28 December exception ·
- Official sources ·
- Official sources ·
- Official sources ·
- Official sources ·
- Official sources ·
- Zenkoji: visiting information ·
- Zenkoji: access ·
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