Is this temple the inspiration behind the Dragon Ball series ?
The monks at Oka-dera Temple are a jovial lot and will quite happily tell you that this is "The Dragon Ball Temple, where wishes are granted.” Of course, talk soon turns to the ever popular anime series "Dragonball" and while comparisons are granted, the actual story of the temple itself is just as entertaining.
The Temple and its Legends
According to temple legend, a Buddhist monk named Gien confronted a dragon that was marauding in what is now Asuka Village. Gien defeated the dragon and imprisoned it under the floor of a small pond. He placed a large rock in the pond to prevent the dragon from escaping.
This is how Ryugai-ji Temple, Oka-dera’s formal name, was founded in 663 - "Ryu" means dragon and "gai" translates to lid. The temple is also the 7th temple on the Saikoku Kannon Pilgrimage.
Supposedly, the dragon’s heart was “reformed” by its fight with Gien and it became one of the temple’s deities. Japanese dragons are depicted with a large ball or jewel which fulfils wishes. It is said that by the power of this dragon ball wishes can be granted.
Dragon balls, Okadera’s most powerful variety of amulet, can be purchased (￥700 each). Known as “Ryugyokunegaidama” they are made of wood, inscribed with Oka-dera Temple's kanji characters, and contain a small paper scroll.
Write your wish on the scroll and hang your dragon ball on one of the designated trees in the temple’s garden.
Besides dragon ponds and dragon balls, Oka-dera Temple is also home to a 3-story pagoda, several beautiful and historic buildings, a garden of maple and deciduous trees that become riotously colorful in the fall and Japan's largest clay statue of the Buddha.
1,200 years ago, the founder of Koyosan, the legendary monk Kūkai came to Oka-dera to study and while here fashioned a giant clay Buddha statue of the Nyorin Kannon Bosatsu, the Wish Granting Buddha. The statue is counted among the Three Great Buddha of Japan and has been designated an Important Cultural Property.
The Goma Taki Fire Ceremony
Oka-dera Temple is also known as the first sacred place in Japan to expel bad luck. Goma Taki involves the burning of thin wooden plates with prayers or wishes of worshipers written upon them. The plates are stacked to form a square and are set ablaze as the monks chant and recite prayers.
The ritual is performed to revitalize the mind and purify the spirit and is considered an important practice of the Shingon sect. The ritual often draws people who are said to be in a yakudoshi, a year which is considered to be one of bad luck, according to Buddhist teaching.
Even watching from afar, the whole ceremony is fascinating and quite mesmerizing. Even if you haven't put forward your own wooden plate to be burnt, the ritualist movements and chanting of the monk, the smell of the smoke, the crackling sound of the burning wood and the high pitched "tings" of the utensils being used all combine to leave you with a feeling of equal parts exhaustion and rejuvenation.
Seasonal Beauty
Oka-dera Temple is a place where the seasons unfold with deliberate grace, each bringing its own charm. The temple’s chozuya (purification fountain) located just past the entrance gate is a famous photo-spot, decorated exquisitely to reflect the current season.
Spring
Spring begins modestly at Oka-dera with the arrival of sakura trees in March and April. There is not an overabundance of sakura trees around the grounds, their famous pink hues serve only to add a subtle accent to the natural surroundings. By mid-April, around 3,000 rhododendrons come into full bloom. These bright pink flowers frame the approach to the inner shrine, cluster around the Nio Gate, and line the stone steps leading to the Main Hall. At the end of April and into early May, during Golden Week, you will find colorful Dahlias floating in the pond near the Nio Gate, in purification troughs, and in water bowls scattered across the grounds. It’s a simple gesture, but one that transforms these spaces into something quietly extraordinary. Around this time, peonies also make their appearance, their large blooms adding depth and texture to the gardens.
Summer
By June, summer arrives with its own palette. Hydrangeas take center stage, their rounded clusters of blue, purple, and pink thriving in the humid air of Japan’s rainy season. They line pathways and fill shaded corners of the temple grounds, offering a cool counterpoint to summer’s heat.
Autumn
Autumn is when Oka-dera truly comes into its own. From mid-November to early December, Japanese maple trees transform into vivid displays of red, orange, and yellow. The season culminates with an autumn light-up festival during late November. In 2024, traditional umbrellas were illuminated and placed throughout the temple grounds. This autumn light-up event has quietly grown in popularity over the years, drawing photographers and filmmakers in droves.
Winter
Winter strips Oka-dera back to its essentials. Occasionally, snow falls in the area adding a pure white covering over the main hall hall roof and pagoda. The view from the pagoda, overlooking parts of Asuka village, is especially nice after a winter snowfall.
Access:
Getting To Oka-dera Temple
Okadera Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line shares the temple’s name but it’s about 3.5km away from Okadera Temple. The quickest way there from the Nara Visitor Center and Inn is to take the Kintetsu Line from Kintetsu Nara Station, change to a Kashihara Jingumae bound train at Yamato Saidaiji Station, change trains again at Kashihara Jingumae Station and go to Asuka Station. Rent a bicycle from Asuka Rent-a-Cycle (look for a green sign with white kanji characters outside the station, the rent-a-cycle is about 50 meters to the right) and enjoy the ride through the rice paddies to Okadera.
Alternatively, you can take a bus from Kintetsu Kashiharajingu-mae Station. Take the bus bound for Okadera-mae and get off at the Okadera-mae stop. From there, it's just a short walk to the main entrance. The area around the temple is very picturesque, with lots of old residential buildings and the occasional stylish cafe.
Author: NARA Visitor Center & Inn
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