Myoryuji Ninja Temple Reservation (2026): Phone Only, ¥1,200

Yes, book ahead, and do it yourself by phone. Myoryuji (妙立寺), Kanazawa’s Ninja Temple, needs a reservation for the guided tour inside its buildings.^[3] It takes bookings only by phone^[1], and only from you or a travel agency, not from your hotel.^[4],[1] Before you call, check two rules: preschool children cannot go in^[3],[5], and the tour is in Japanese only.^[1],[3]

Key facts

• Booking: by phone only, on 076-241-0888, answered 8:30–17:00 Japan time.^[7],[2]
• When to call: from one month before your visit date.^[1],[2]
• Fee: ¥1,200 for adults and ¥800 for elementary school children, cash only^[1],[2],[7], rising to ¥1,300 and ¥1,000 from December 1, 2026.^[6]
• Tour: about 40 minutes, in Japanese only.^[7],[3]
• Tour times: from 9:00 to 16:00, every hour or half hour depending on the day.^[1]
• Children: from elementary school age, with ID that proves their age.^[5]

What decides whether I get in?

Four rules stop visitors at the door. Check each one before you plan the day around the temple.

Do not count on walking in. The temple says its tours are often fully booked, even on weekdays.^[3]

The age rule follows the Japanese school year. Children from abroad, and children at international schools, are judged by the date they would start elementary school in Japan.^[3],[5] If your child is about to start school, ask about the cut-off date when you call.

How do I book from outside Japan?

You make one international phone call. Staff take reservation calls in simple English.^[4],[1] The temple does not take bookings by e-mail.^[1]

1. Pick your date and a backup time

   Reservations open one month before your visit, on the same day of the month.^[1],[2] Have two or three times in mind in case your first choice is full.

2. Work out the time in Japan

   The phone is answered from 8:30 to 17:00 Japan time.^[7],[2] Convert that window to your own time zone before you dial.

3. Dial the temple

   The number is 076-241-0888.^[1] From outside Japan, dial your country’s international access code, then Japan’s country code, then the number without its first zero.

4. Answer the staff's questions

   Have the answers below ready, then write down the date and time they confirm.

What the temple asks on the call

• How many people, and how many of them are adults and children
• The ages of the children
• Your name and nationality
• How you will arrive (on foot, by bus or by car)
• That you accept a tour in Japanese only, with no interpreting

The list follows what the temple’s English page says staff will ask.^[1] If you cannot phone at all, the only other channel the temple accepts is a travel agency booking on your behalf.^[4],[1]

What is the tour like?

A guide leads your group through the temple’s halls and explains their hidden stairs, traps and lookouts. Myoryuji is a Nichiren Buddhist temple, not a ninja house. It is called the Ninja Temple because of how the building is designed, and there are no ninja shows or ninja experiences.^[3]

The tour is guided in Japanese only. Nobody may interpret during the tour, even someone in your own group.^[1],[3] Photography and audio recording are not allowed inside.^[3]

Expect a lot of climbing. The interior has 29 staircases, plus pitfalls and other changes of level.^[3] Wheelchairs can go into the grounds but not into the buildings.^[3] If anyone in your group has limited mobility, ask about the route when you book.

When is it closed, and what changes this year?

Myoryuji is closed on January 1 and 2 and on Buddhist memorial service days.^[1],[2],[7] The temple does not list those service days in advance on its English page, so confirm your date when you call.

Admission today is ¥1,200 for adults (junior high school age and older) and ¥800 for elementary school children.^[1],[2],[7] From December 1, 2026, the temple raises it to ¥1,300 and ¥1,000.^[6] You pay at the entrance, in cash only.^[1]

The temple is also repairing the outer walls and roof of an annex from autumn 2026. It plans to run tours as usual, but parts of the view may be blocked and the work may be noisy.^[6]

Where does it fit in a day in Kanazawa?

Myoryuji is a short walk from the Hirokoji bus stop, served by the Kanazawa Loop Bus (Left Loop) and Hokutetsu local buses. Visit Kanazawa gives the walk as about 3 minutes.^[7] Because the tour starts on time and a late arrival loses the slot, leave a buffer for the bus.^[1]

Book the temple first, then build the rest of the day around your slot. For the other sights, hours and the Loop Bus route, see the Kanazawa guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an English tour at the Ninja Temple?

No. The tour is guided in Japanese only, and interpreting during the tour is not allowed.^[1],[3] Only the reservation call can be made in simple English.^[4],[1]

Can I pay by credit card?

No. The fee is paid at the entrance in cash only; electronic money and credit cards are not accepted.^[1]

Can my hotel call and book for me?

No. The temple accepts reservations only from the visitors themselves or from a travel agency, not from hotel or ryokan staff.^[4],[1]

Is it worth it if I don't speak Japanese?

You will see the stairs, traps and hidden rooms, but you will not follow the explanations, and no one may interpret for you.^[1],[3] If the building itself interests you, the visit can still be worth the fee. If you want the stories behind it, read up before you go.