The valley on the foot of the Ko'olau mountain range in Hawaii is known as the Valley of the Temples. Amidst the lush trees and flowers in the valley resides the Buddhist Byodo-In Temple. Byodo-In, or the Temple of Equality as it translates, is designed to be a small-scale replica of a 950-year-old World Heritage Site Buddhist temple in the Japanese city of Uji. Work on the Byodo-In was completed in 1968, and the temple was built to honor the 100th year since the first Japanese immigrants moved to Hawaii.

With koi ponds, Japanese gardens, and statues covered in gold, its easy to see why several visiting Hawaii include a stop at Byodo-In on their itineraries. If you plan to do so, too, here are a few things that you need to know before visiting Byodo-In Temple.

At most Buddhist temples, youd find a resident monastic community that hosts an active congregation. Byodo-In, however, is not a functioning Buddhist temple. As such, there is no praying or worshipping that happens at the monastery, and Byodo-In serves more as a memorial than a temple where visitors come to admire the statue of the Buddha, stroll through its gardens, and soak in the temples calm and meditative aura. Dont be surprised if you dont bump into any monks at Byodo-In, though!

The Byodo-In temple is open from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm every day, with the last entry to the ground at 4.15 pm. Although the hours during holidays vary, the temple always charges a fee for entry. Adults can buy tickets for $5, seniors over the age of 65 can buy theirs for $4, and for kids under 12, thats $2. The temple also has discounted entry fees for citizens of Hawaii as well as for groups of ten or more. Tickets can be bought at the temple, but buying them online will mean that you can skip long queues.

Flanked by ponds, pine trees, and mountains on all sides, Byodo-In ranks amongst some of the most beautiful Buddhist temples that exist in the world. Youll find flowers in full bloom, fish swimming in the ponds, and sparrows or peafowls frolicking around the gardens. Its only natural that the first instinct of most visitors is to take their cameras along to capture Byodo-Ins beauty. But before you do that, theres one important thing to know: you cant take photographs at Byodo-In without a dedicated permit. Byodo-In requires that anybody who wishes to shoot the temple with pro-level photography equipment fill out a reservation form on its website. The temple also charges a certain fee starting from $4 to $6000 for the permit, depending on the kind of photography people intend to do.

Related: 25 Otherworldly Temples Around The Globe That Give Us The Chills

Going to a temple can be tricky. Some Buddhist temples in the world are known to have fairly strict dress codes, which, when not adhered to, could prohibit you from entering the grounds. Usually, this means long pants over short ones, t-shirts over dresses, and occasionally, you may even be asked to wear a coverup. Byodo-In, on the other hand, has no dress code. Visitors can wear whatever they please, and the temple only asks that they remove their footwear outside before entering.

The grounds of Byodo-In cover 11,000 sq ft meaning theres a whole lot to see inside the temple. It can take up to an hour just to enjoy the gardens of the temple and much longer if you wish to enter its many buildings. Queues outside the main hall where the statue of the gold and lacquer covered buddha sits can take several minutes. Exploring all that the temple has two offer can take at least two hours, if not more.

Related: How Tourists Are Supposed To Dress When They Visit These Strict Countries

While there are several things to see inside Byodo-In, most visitors often overlook the Bon-sho, or the sacred bell, outside the temple. The five-foot tall and three-ton heavy bell made in Osaka is meant to be rung with a wooden log before entering the temple. The sound of the bell is believed to invoke a deep sense of calm and peace, clear the mind of all evils and temptations, and prepare visitors for the teachings that await inside the temple. Ringing the bell is also meant to bring happiness and blessings, so dont forget to stop at Bon-sho before entering the Byodo-In Temple.

The lush garden of Byodo-In is home to many tiny birds, and the ponds are filled with colorful fishes. Visitors can stop by the temples gift shop, buy a bag of bird and fish feed for a few dollars, and spend the evening feeding koi fish, geese, and sparrows out of their hands. If youre traveling with kids, in particular, its a fun activity to add to the list of things you do in Byodo-In.

Considering how big even the small replica of the Japanese temple Byodo-In is, there are several hidden spots that those willing to explore the grounds will find. Hidden inside the temples garden are small pathways that lead to little waterfalls and offer stunning views of the temple from far away. Near the back of the temple is a hidden meditation pavilion which is a great place to enjoy the quiet tranquility of the Byodo-In Temple away from the crowds.

Byodo-In is a huge advocate of art and culture and hosts several local artists around the year. Several musicians, artists, writers, and craftsmen volunteer to display their works on the temple's grounds each day of the week. A portion of any sales made is then donated back to the temple. Those traveling to Byodo-In might want to check out the temples event calendar beforehand to plan a trip to the temple around it.

The stunning gardens, ponds, and waterfalls of Byodo-In are great places for all kinds of flora and fauna to thrive. While you would enjoy gazing at peafowls and 100-year-old koi fish swimming about, you may not enjoy the green gardens so much when you find mosquitos and bugs biting away at you. As is the case with any place where theres so much greenery, Byodo-In is also filled with bugs depending on the weather. You may end up feeling incredibly grateful that you packed some bug repellent before making your way to the temple.

See the original post here:

10 Things To Know Before Visiting Byodo-In Temple - TheTravel