Makaya-ji Temple was founded in 726 and is known for having one of Shizuoka Prefecture's oldest temple gardens. The mossy garden is often compared with Kyoto's Koke-dera on a much smaller, quieter scale.
Inside are important cultural artifacts, including a wooden Senju-Kannon statue with one thousand arms. The temple is a good rural counterpoint to Hamamatsu's city museums and castle.