Byodo-in temple

©Pavel Tvrdý/500px

Valley of the Temples & Byōdō-In

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It's so peaceful and parklike that it might take you a minute to realize that Valley of the Temples is an interdenominational cemetery. Up at the base of the Koʻolau mountains’ verdant fluted cliffs sits Byōdō-In, a replica of a 900-year-old temple in Uji, Japan. The symmetry is a classic example of Japanese Heian architecture, with rich vermillion walls. The 3-ton brass bell is said to bring peace and good fortune to anyone who rings it.

Bus 65 stops near the cemetery on Kahekili Hwy, but from there it’s a winding 0.7-mile hike up to the temple.

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