From June 22 to September 30, 2026, Kouyaji – a Takeo temple better known for its rhododendrons – lines its long corridor with wind chimes. Each gust sets them ringing, the kind of sound a Japanese summer reaches for when it wants to feel a few degrees cooler.
At the Temple
Locals call Kouyaji the “rhododendron temple.” Through the wind-chime season, rows of furin hang along the covered walkway above the temple garden, so the sound and the greenery come together. Visitors can dedicate a chime of their own.
How to Visit
Open 9:00-16:00. Entry is free; dedicating a wind chime costs from 1,200 yen. Getting there: about 10 minutes by car from Takeo-Kitagata IC on the Nagasaki Expressway; 15 minutes by taxi from Takeo-Onsen Station; or a Yutoku bus toward Saga to the “Kouyaji-iriguchi” stop, then a 3-minute walk.
- Dates: June 22 – September 30, 2026
- Hours: 9:00-16:00
- Venue: Kouyaji, 3245 Shiku, Kitagata-cho, Takeo City, Saga
- Admission: Free (wind-chime dedication from 1,200 yen)
- Official Info: takeo-kk.net (Japanese)
Planning Your Visit
Takeo sits on the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen line, within easy reach of Fukuoka and Nagasaki. It is best known for Takeo Onsen, with its striking wooden gate, and for the much-photographed Takeo City Library. The wind chimes make a natural pairing with an unhurried morning among the temple and its garden.
Source: Takeo City Tourism Association | takeo-kk.net Photo: Takeo City