2026 Autumn Leaves at Ryuhoji Temple (龍峰寺): A Full One-Day Course

A day of exploring the town from Ebina Station (海老名駅) and visiting the historic hilltop temple Ryuhoji (龍峰寺). Ryuhoji is a temple on a hilltop in Ebina City, and during the autumn coloring season you can enjoy the autumn leaves on its grounds. It is known for housing the nationally designated Important Cultural Property, the 'Wooden Standing Statue of Senju Kannon' (木造千手観音立像), but it is only unveiled on two days a year - New Year's Day and March 17 - so an autumn visit is more about savoring the autumn leaves and the quiet atmosphere of the temple grounds. In the morning, view the seven-story pagoda monument at Ebina Central Park (海老名中央公園), right by the east exit of Ebina Station, then take a historical walk at the Sagami Kokubunji Temple Ruins Historic Site (史跡相模国分寺跡), the site of a great Nara-period temple. In the afternoon, walk about 17 minutes from the station to Ryuhoji Temple. As there is no parking lot, this course - combining the town, history, and autumn colors - is well suited to getting around by train and on foot.