Valley of the Temples

Best Cheap Adventure on Oahu. $ 3 gets you in the gate and the grounds and temple are beautiful. Make sure to ring the large Gong outside the Main temple. Stroll around the grounds and take as many photos as you can.
This place is home to thousands of gorgeous photo ops. From the koi pond, gongs, shrines to the main temple it’s all beautiful and well manicured.
Stop into the gift shop for koi fish food! Perfect for kids!
This excursion won’t take all day but will leave you feeling calm, peaceful and full of light.
Drive around the rest of the valley for gorgeous views of the mountains.

Serene. Lovely. Beautiful. I love this place. Feed the birds and sit in the temple. Connect with this place. Breathe it all in.

Beautifully kept location, and the staff is so helpful and nice. In particular, I really appreciated the time and care that Teal gave me. I wanted my site to match as close as possible the existing family plot, and there are so many options to have to decide on. Teal was wonderfully patient as she guided me through my decision making.

Making preparations for the burial of my husband was not easy. First of all you feel like you are still in a dream trying to wake up. Things are not clear in your mind and it’s hard to think. Teal Kumai worked with us and made sure we understood every choice that was made. She basically held my hands from beginning to end. Thank you! All I knew was that it needed to be nice being this would be the last thing I would be doing for my husband. On the day of his burial, we were blessed with a beautiful day. As we approached the place where he was to be put to rest, I was totally blown away by what awaited us. What I thought would be just NICE turned into AWESOME! (Checkout the pictures). Thanks to the efforts of family, friends and the management of Valley of the Temples, what should have been a totally sad day became, (weird as it may sound), a HAPPY day for me!!!
The grief has subsided a little and I can think and see clearly now. When I go and visit his resting place, there is a little sadness but I’m okay. You didn’t know my husband personally, but your gestures of love and kindness on that day I will always remember! Death is inevitable and I’m so grateful that there are people with the expertise and caring hearts that’s needed for such a time. Thank you all!
Aloha & Mahalo,
The family of William «Bill» Fry

Nestled on the east side of Oahu, this huge cemetery is beautifully kept, multi culture, and a good use of time. Of particular interest is the Buddhist temple built in the late 60’s. Recommended for a few minutes of reflection, ringing the bell, and lighting some incense for the Buddha.

It’s definitely a Japanese style temple. You will feel so relax by the minute you walking in. It made us feel so detoxing, and it’s a good place for meditation. Not that much people went there. I love the koi in the pond, there were so ducks swimming around too. Nice place.

Very beautiful place to drive through or walk around. The views are beautiful and the Byodo-​In Temple is located at the end of a long winding road.
You can spend as little or as long a time here as you like. It is serene and beautiful. Worth a stop.

Teal and Deenie really went above and beyond for our family. Of course making plans at this time is always difficult, but these two REALLY did value our ‘Ohana.
The time constraints we had were very tight for our uniques situation, but Teal had the most excellent customer service and truly reflected the delicate side of her job for us.
Much Mahalo,
The family of Robert William Longstaff IV

This place is beautiful! Definitely a great place to stop by and see.
Entry is only $ 3, but it is very much worth it for them to maintain such a beautiful and spiritual place.
When you cross the bridge, you will have a gorgeous view of the temple, then to the left you can ring the gong. As you continue on the path, you can enter the temple. Please remember to take off your shoes and be quiet and mindful of others who may be praying to Buddha. After the temple we went to the little store and bought $ 2 fish food to feed the Koi. In the ponds we also saw turtles and black goose.

you get to drive through this on your way to the Byodo-​In Temple. as we were leaving the temple I noticed all these cats hanging around some of the headstones. I had my bf drive back around and park so I could see the cats. as soon as we got out of the car, probably 15 cats all came running up the lawn towards us! it was crazy! they were all super scared and wouldn’t let us get close to them, but it was cool seeing them there. I am that crazy cat lady and knowing they sit on the graves of the people who are buried there tells me that cats are a higher power!

I loved it… Rain or shine, it’s a beautiful place. Despite what the weather may say, it’s worth checking out on your own. The weather said thunderstorms but it was only cloudy out when we went.

I’ve been here twice now and probably will be back again. I love this area. The drive alone is beautiful. I know it’s just a replica, but It’s gorgeous. I can just imagine what the real thing looks like. There are animals all over the property. While I was there I saw a few turtles and of course the koi pond is something to see. When I go here, I just like to sit and take it all in.

Oh we really enjoyed taking our family to the Byodo Temple. It was our first time and we felt like we were in a different world. It was amazing! You could definitely feel something special ok these grounds. Great for photos with your family for sure.

For $ 3 in 2015, you can go beyond the cemetery into the grounds of this temple (plus big buddha), which is a replica of something in Japan. Cross the bridge, hit the gong, light some incense in the temple, and then hang out around the ponds watching the black swan, peaking at all the koi or trying to get the attention of the on site cat that doesn’t give a sh*t about you or the birds or the fish…
Bottom line: Give $ 3 in return for a few moments of true zen.

The Family Service Counselor that God blessed us with is Teal Lopez-​Kumai.
She has been most helpful during a difficult time in our lives. Very compassionate, loving and caring. Teal is very knowledgeable in the services available and she explained everything in detail. Designing the marker was a challenge due to the many options available, but this is her forte so the process went by rather quickly. We appreciate that she has been so attentive to us and responds via text, email, and phone calls. In the short time that we have known Teal, she feels like part of the family. We could not ask for a better Family Service Counselor. She has been a blessing in our time of need.
We also would like to acknowledge, David George who is the Family Service Supervisor. What a nice gentleman to work with. The employees all seem to enjoy working there. We were always greeted by happy and uplifting staff, both outside as well as in the office. Working for David George must be wonderful and it is evident in his staff.
Valley of the Temples is clean and well kept. I have been to other cemeteries and the trash is almost always full, but not at Valley of the Temples. The grave sites are nicely maintained, the grass always trimmed, and the view is simply amazing. If you happen to wonder to the back side of the property, you will find yourself in what appears to be a resort. The maintenance staff do a superb job at maintaining the property.

This is our new favorite place on Oahu. It’s on the windward side of the island but not a bad drive.
As soon as you get out of your car you can hear the temple bell. The sound immediately lets you know you are in for something special.
The grounds are beautiful. The temple is peaceful and calming. We lit incense and spent a few minutes contemplating lost loved ones.
We spent a couple of hours just sitting by the reflecting pools enjoying the atmosphere. Great way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Absolutely breathtaking temple located at the back of the cemetery grounds. While driving back towards the Byodo-​in Temple, you pass several well maintained cemetery areas where you can see families visiting with loved ones, and sadly the day we went we saw a family laying a loved one to rest. Driving in, you’re immediately overcome by the beauty of the greenery and landscaping. The plots are clearly well maintained not only by staff but by loved ones of the deceased.
Once we made our way to the Byodo-​in Temple we were overcome with its beauty. Behind it mountains covered in clouds, making the scenery even more serene. Once inside the temple, the artistry was even more impressive. The day we visited, there were people from every walk of life visiting and it was lovely to see the respect people had for the temple, removing their shoes, and being respectful of those who were praying.
We visited the koi ponds and I was amazed to see the koi literally jumping from the water. While we didn’t feed them, it was definitely fun to watch them for a bit.
A true highlight of our visit was the tea service we enjoyed. I forget the gentleman’s name, but he and his wife shared multiple teas with us that they brought back with them from all over the world and shared stories of their travels with us. They also informed us of the traditional tea services that they participate in at the temple on the first Saturday of the month that the public is welcome to attend (I asked because it fascinated me, but I didn’t want to be intrusive).
The admission fee of $ 3 is well spent to support the upkeep of this gorgeous location. It’s definitely a hidden piece of heaven in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the every day world.

It’s a lovely place, it’s sad to see that they charge admission now. When I was younger it was free. Here’s some extra info on charges: 3 $ for general, 2 $ for seniors, and 1 $ for kids 12&under. The fish and bird food are 2 $ a bag. They also have a wide variety of Asian charms and such for good luck, a bit pricey though.
Keep in mind to bring some mosquito repellant if you’re allergic! Or don’t like getting bit!
Otherwise they have swans, peacocks, koi, turtles, and wild birds to feed which is pretty fun. A bell to ring for prosperity, the giant Buddha to exhibit, and don’t forget to carve your name into the bamboo for good luck! ^_​_​^

So… We had no idea this was a cemetery probably since I didn’t read my fellow Unilocalers’ reviews beforehand. No matter. The grounds are beautiful and on a misty day when the clouds are hanging low and the sky is gray, it is a peaceful and majestic place.
Upon entering the Valley, you are greeted by many, many cats. I’m not particularly superstitious, but the calm demeanor of the cats had me wondering if they were really strays or reincarnations. Clearly, they own the place.
This is an active cemetery, so expect to see processions and funerals in progress.
Weave your way to the Byodo-​In Temple, which is a gift from Japan. Admission seemed out of place, but it’s a beautiful and spiritual place, if you want it to be. I spent a moment in the Buddhist temple reflecting on a few things and lit a stick of incense. Even if you are charged admission, this is a place of worship and reverence.
Good stop for a rainy day.

Want some serenity and peace away from the traffic off H3. Stop here, drive all the way in. You gotta pay cash to walk around the temple. $ 3.00 for adults, $ 2.00 seniors, $ 1 for kids 12 & under.