The main hall of Mitsutera Temple is seen on February 6 in the atrium of a building in Chuo Ward, Osaka City.
12:30 JST, April 14, 2024
OSAKA – A temple shrouded in bright light stands in a corner of Osaka’s Minami Ward on Midosuji Avenue.
The Mitsutera Temple, affectionately known as ‘Mittera-san’, is unusual in that its main hall is located in the atrium of a 15-story building. The atrium occupies the first three floors, while a hotel occupies the fourth floor and above.
The temple’s main hall, founded in 1808, is a valuable structure that survived World War II. However, its maintenance requires a large amount of money. A development project was launched in an attempt to generate income from the temple’s land while preserving the main hall. It was completed in November.
Foreign tourists visit the temple on January 30.
The entrance to the temple is located on the Midosuji Avenue side, making it more accessible to tourists. The hotel’s foreign guests and others can be seen praying in front of the main hall, and the hotel provides a morning prayer package for guests.
A 36-year-old tourist from Malaysia who visited the temple said it was important to preserve history in such ways.
