Natadera Temple

Natadera sits just east of the Kaga city limits, in the foothills of Mount Hakusan, and is one of the older active temples in the region. The main hall is built against a cliff face of volcanic tuff that has been weathered into honeycomb caves and pinnacles. Wooden walkways thread between the rocks, and small shrines have been tucked into the natural alcoves. Maple trees turn the whole precinct red in November.

The temple grounds include a garden in the karesansui style, a three-storey pagoda, and a teahouse that serves matcha looking over the rock formations. It's a thirty-minute drive from Kagaonsen Station and easiest reached by car or taxi — a bus runs but only a few times a day. Plan an hour and a half to walk the full circuit.

things to do sight
A story
Natadera's eleven-headed Kannon was carved in 717 by the monk Taicho, who is said to have climbed Mount Hakusan in the same year — an ascent that founded the Hakusan worship tradition. The original statue was lost to fire centuries later; the current figure was made in the Edo period and is shown to the public only on rare occasions, most recently in 2017 for the temple's 1,300th anniversary.