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Byodo-In Temple, Kaneohe, HI

Photo: Puneet Abbott, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingLocal GemDate Night

Byodo-In Temple

47-200 Kahekili Hwy · Kaneohe, HI

Why you should go…

Byodo-In Temple is a smaller-scale replica of the nearly 1,000-year-old Byodo-in in Uji, Japan, set in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park in Kaneohe. It was dedicated in 1968 to mark the centennial of Japanese immigration to Hawaii. You can ring the three-ton brass bell, see the 18-foot Amida Buddha covered in gold and lacquer, and feed the koi in the ponds. The non-practicing Buddhist temple welcomes people of all faiths, and a visit is self-guided.

  • #buddhist temple
  • #japanese garden
  • #koi pond
  • #meditation
  • #windward oahu

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Byodo-In Temple, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

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    Tour a 4,000-acre working ranch on Oahu's windward coast by UTV, horse, zipline or bus past well-known movie locations.

    6.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Bishop Museum

    $25–$50

    Explore Polynesian artifacts in Hawaiian Hall, a planetarium and a hands-on science center on one Honolulu campus.

    7.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Lanikai Beach

    Free

    Swim in calm, shallow turquoise water off a half-mile of sand facing the twin Mokulua Islands offshore.

    8.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Pearl Harbor National Memorial

    Free

    Walk the visitor center galleries and shoreline exhibits that tell the story of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

    8.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    ʻIolani Palace

    $25–$50

    Tour the throne room, state dining room and private royal suites of the palace of Hawaii's last reigning monarchs.

    8.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Aloha Tower

    Free

    See the 184-foot tower that has stood over Honolulu Harbor since 1926, then eat and stroll at the marketplace below.

    8.8 mi awayMore like this