Heungryunsa Temple — Attraction in Incheon

I have visited other temple sites in and around Tokyo and Seoul. They have distinctive traits that make them stand out: the massive metal Buddha of Kamakura in Japan, or the three Buddhas at Jogyesa Temple in the middle of a bustling city. To me, this temple splits the difference between those places, offering a respectful non-practitioner a glance at the beauty behind the philosophy of most all of these places of worship.

Perched on a hill above Incheon, getting here is fairly easy. I recommend a taxi/Uber. If you are disabled or have mobility issues, note that there are a lot of steps and this is not a place that is wheelchair accessible. It is the end of the road. And what an end! After you march up and past the none-too-vaguely phallic statues that guard the main steps, you are treated to varying levels of interest and beauty.

I recommend you have your camera translator ready, as it provides interesting insights into the different places/spaces that this temple has to offer. I’d also recommend you bring an offering. As you will soon see (and might already know), the types of offerings one can leave vary. The point is really the point of said offering (and I mean that sentence the way it reads).

This visit to Korea, we came to the temple two times. And, each time, we saw something different and had different views of both the temple and the city below. Wrapped in smog or on a clear day, this is a wonderful place to wander/explore. Moreover, it is an active place to worship. The first day? A temple service. The second day? A memorial to a deceased practitioner. Each day? The colorful lanterns (now, sadly, LED-driven) hung about the place had a calming effect. There are Buddhas and dragons. Drums and pagodas. Smaller and larger offering sites. Many walking paths, a few main buildings, and even a worthwhile hike to the hill above the temple if you are so inclined. There is also an on-site gift shop and eating establishment (indulged in the first and not the second).

Given the month, it was also the case that workers were busy on the site dredging the ponds/pools and getting them ready for the spring weather that is approaching. An evening visit with the lanterns alight? I bet it is amazing. But it was not to be. Not a bad thing to have another item to add to the bucket list!

To me, this is important to reiterate: this, and temples like it, are places of worship. So, as guests, we should all step lightly and visit respectfully.

I wasn’t really expecting much when I came here. Once again, I was shown that I need to be a little bit more open to what the world can offer. Highly...

Very nice temple at the top of the mountain in Incheon, only 5 minutes from Songdo where I live. Very nice view of Incheon and Songdo. They also sell food here, I didn't try it but looked real good, definitely will try next time. Also little gift shop where you can buy some good luck charms and bracelets.

The temple is pretty big and although not a Buddhist myself, it was interesting and...

This is a Kwang Yin temple built on a littler hill at Incheon. Very beautifully temple built and some striking Buddha crafted. One golden pagoda standing out and come on Dec also able to see beautiful maple leaf! Very relaxing stroll and challenge your fitness to climb up with many...