# Katsuo-ji, Osaka > Katsuo-ji is the 'temple of winning' in the Minoh hills, 20 km north of central Osaka. It's known for thousands of red daruma dolls left for luck. Entry is about ¥500. It opens roughly 8:00–17:00, until 18:00 on Saturdays. From Senri-Chuo station it's about 30 minutes by bus, which runs infrequently. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/katsuoji - City: [Osaka](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka), Japan - YesGo score: 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: About ¥500 - Hours: Roughly 8:00–17:00, Sat to 18:00 - Highlight: Thousands of red daruma dolls - Where: Minoh hills, 20 km north of Osaka - Best time: November — red maples - Getting there: Hankyu bus from Senri-Chuo, about 30 minutes - Coordinates: 34.86585, 135.49106 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **727** — the temple's beginnings according to its chronicle (source: en.wikipedia) - **23rd** — temple on the Saigoku pilgrimage of 33 Kannon temples (source: en.wikipedia) - **1966** — the grounds became a National Historic Site (source: en.wikipedia) - **Shingon** — the Koyasan Shingon-shu Buddhist school (source: en.wikipedia) - **Daruma** — red lucky dolls — thousands all over the temple (source: travel guides) - **Winning** — the meaning of 'katsu' in the temple's name (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ ¥500** — entry (source: travel guides) - **≈ 30 minutes** — by bus from Senri-Chuo (source: travel guides) ## What is Katsuo-ji? **Katsuo-ji** is a Buddhist temple of the **Koyasan Shingon-shu** school in the hills above the city of **Minoh**, north of Osaka. According to the temple chronicle, its history begins in **727**, when two hermit brothers settled here. It's the **23rd** temple on the old Saigoku pilgrimage route of 33 temples to the goddess Kannon, and its grounds are a National Historic Site. The name contains the word **'katsu', 'to win'**, and the temple has long been considered a place of luck in victory. So people come before exams, competitions and important ventures and leave **red daruma dolls**. Thousands of daruma sit on roofs, steps, lanterns, rocks and in the branches of trees. > **The bus is infrequent** The temple is in the hills, and the only public transport is the Hankyu bus from Senri-Chuo station, about 30 minutes. Direct services run only a few times a day, so check the timetable and your return bus in advance. A taxi from Minoh station is easier — about 15 minutes. Last entry is roughly half an hour before closing. ## Daruma and customs A **daruma** is a round red doll without arms or legs, representing the founder of Zen. It's sold with blank eyes: you paint in one eye when you make a wish and the other when it comes true. At Katsuo-ji you can buy a small daruma omikuji with a fortune inside and leave it in the grounds. Entry is **about ¥500**, according to guides, and the temple opens roughly **8:00 to 17:00**, later on Saturdays. In November, the maple season, there are sometimes evening illuminations with extended hours. Check exact prices and hours on the temple's website. ## What to see - **Thousands of daruma** all over the grounds. - **The main hall** with its red pillars. - **The pond and bridge** by the entrance. - **The pagoda** on the hillside. - **Maples** — especially in November. - **Minoo Falls** — a separate walk nearby. ## How to get to Katsuo-ji 1. **Midosuji metro / Kita-Osaka Kyuko** — to Senri-Chuo station, about 20 minutes from Umeda. 2. **Hankyu bus** from Senri-Chuo to the Katsuo-ji stop — about 30 minutes; few services. 3. **Hankyu to Minoh station**, then a taxi — about 15 minutes uphill. 4. **On foot from Minoh station** — a mountain trail past the waterfall, several hours. 5. **Coming back** — check the last bus in advance. ## Katsuo-ji or temples in central Osaka | | Katsuo-ji | Shitenno-ji | | --- | --- | --- | | Where | Minoh hills, 20 km | Central Osaka | | Highlight | Daruma dolls, nature | Ancient layout, pagoda | | Getting there | Bus, few services | Metro, 5 minutes | | Time | Half a day with travel | 1 hour | ## How long do you need? An **hour** is enough at the temple itself: walk the grounds, climb to the main hall and find your daruma. With the journey from Osaka and back, allow **half a day**. You can combine Katsuo-ji with **Minoo Falls**: from Minoh station a riverside trail of about 3 km leads to the waterfall, and from there it's several more kilometres uphill to the temple. That makes it a full day's walk — in comfortable shoes. The best time to go is **November**, when the slopes around the temple turn red with maples. Cherry trees bloom here in spring, and in summer the hills are cooler than the city. ## Is Katsuo-ji worth visiting? Yes, if you want to see an unusual and very photogenic temple in the hills and get away from the city. The YesGo take: it's awkward to reach — the bus is infrequent, and a taxi from the station costs a fair amount. If you have only a few days in Osaka, choose places in the centre. But if you love nature and photography and have already been to Kyoto, Katsuo-ji makes an excellent half-day trip. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Bus times there and back - [ ] About ¥500 for entry - [ ] Cash for daruma - [ ] Comfortable shoes — steps - [ ] November — maples ## Osaka temples: compare and choose Temples and shrines in Osaka rated by YesGo. - [Shitenno-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/shitennoji) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · grounds free; precinct ¥500 - [Katsuo-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/katsuoji) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥500 ## Hills and city in a day Katsuo-ji temple in the Minoh hills in the morning, then sunset from the Umeda Sky Building observatory. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Katsuo-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/katsuoji) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥500 2. [Umeda Sky Building](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/umeda-sky-building) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥2,000 ## Good to know Katsuo-ji in Minoh is not the Shorinzan Daruma-ji daruma temple in Takasaki. It is also written Katsuoji. ## Tips - Check the bus timetable. - A taxi from Minoh station takes about 15 minutes. - Buy a small daruma for luck. - November is the best month. - In the evening: [Umeda Sky Building](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/umeda-sky-building). ## Questions ### How much is entry to Katsuo-ji? About ¥500, according to guides. ### What are the opening hours? Roughly 8:00–17:00, until 18:00 on Saturdays. ### How do I get there? Hankyu bus from Senri-Chuo station, about 30 minutes, or a taxi from Minoh station. ### Why are there so many daruma? The temple is a place of luck in winning, and dolls are left for success. ### Where is the temple? In the Minoh hills, about 20 km north of central Osaka. ### How long do you need? An hour at the temple, half a day with travel. ### When is the best time to go? In November, the maple season. ### Can I combine it with Minoo Falls? Yes, but it becomes a full day's walk. ## How we checked The school, pilgrimage place, Historic Site status, chronicle and meaning of the name are from Wikipedia; we don't cover battles and fires in the temple's history. Price, hours and the bus are from guides, so they are marked 'being checked': sources disagree on the price (¥400–500). ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Katsuō-ji — school, Saigoku pilgrimage, Historic Site, 727 chronicle, the name - Travel guides — price, hours, bus, daruma (unofficial; katsuoji-temple.or.jp didn't load on 09.11.2026) - Wikidata Q2747522 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.