Spring outing to Gakwonsa Temple near Camp Humphreys

A huge Buddha statue and cherry blossoms.

Bronze Buddha (Photo by Hyemin Lee/Stripes Korea)

Gakwonsa Temple, located in the foothills of Taejo Mountain in Cheonan, is a 40-minute drive from Camp Humphreys. Built in 1977, it is relatively young by Korean temple standards, but was constructed with a strong purpose: to pray for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

In spring, many visitors come for the blossoms, the lanterns and the giant bronze Buddha at the top of the temple grounds. It is an easy stop to explore for about an hour and the story behind the place gives it more meaning than a typical spring outing, which I found out during a recent visit.

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A Korean map showing the location of Gakwonsa Temple

(Map by Stripes Korea)

Giant Buddha carries Korea’s wish

On the temple’s upper grounds is a bronze statue of the seated Amitabha Buddha, measuring 15 meters tall and weighing around 60 tons. The moment I reached the top I stopped in my tracks. The statue was large and grabbed my attention as it towered over me. Its presence dominated the area.

The statue was consecrated on May 9, 1977, built around a wish that has yet to be answered: the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Korea has remained divided since liberation in 1945, and the Korean War (1950–1953) turned the division into one of the deepest wounds of modern Korean history. For many Koreans, especially in the decades after the war, reunification was not just a political issue. It was one of the country’s deepest national hopes. Gakwonsa was built around that wish.

Standing in front of the statue, I watched visitors quietly bow their heads. A mother guided her young child to kneel and bow. Another family stood side by side and prayed in silence. I am Christian, so I did not bow or pray. But being in a temple has never felt unfamiliar to me. In Korea, temples have long been part of everyday life. People pass them on hiking trails, visit them during family outings or step inside simply to pause. They are part of Korean culture and history as much as they are religious spaces. Regardless of your background, Gakwonsa is a peaceful place, and the giant Buddha here draws visitors to take a moment to reflect.

Bell pavilion (Photo by Hyemin Lee/Stripes Korea)

The best time to visit

Cherry blossoms: Spring is the best time to visit Gakwonsa. The temple is one of Cheonan’s well-known spring flower spots as it offers two separate rounds of blossoms through April. The regular cherry blossoms arrive first, followed by the double cherry blossoms in mid to late April, fuller and a deeper shade of pink than the earlier blossoms. I visited in mid-April and was lucky enough to catch both. The first thing I noticed when I arrived was the scent. Cherry blossoms, forsythia and other spring flowers had filled the grounds and the blooms against the temple’s wooden halls and tiled rooftops softened the landscape.

Buddha’s Birthday: In 2026, Buddha’s Birthday falls on May 24, a national public holiday, and temples across Korea mark the occasion with lanterns, ceremonies and communal gatherings. With the forthcoming holiday, Gakwonsa is already taking on a more colorful atmosphere with hundreds of red, blue, green and yellow lanterns hung across the courtyard. Each lantern carries a written wish from a visitor, and a special prayer service was underway during my visit.

(Photo by Hyemin Lee/Stripes Korea)

Many lanterns are visible in the temple.

Lanterns (Photo by Hyemin Lee/Stripes Korea)

Things to know before you go

Gakwonsa is an easy half-day trip from the Pyeongtaek area. From Camp Humphreys, the drive takes about 40 minutes, while public transit takes around one hour and 20 minutes. Admission is free and the grounds are compact enough to explore on foot in about an hour. Although the temple is an open space, it is best to visit between sunrise and sunset since it is an active temple where monks and practitioners live and worship.

If you have extra time, the Independence Hall of Korea is about 20 minutes away by car. This museum is one of the country’s most important places for understanding Korea’s independence movement and the history of Japanese colonial rule. Many visitors pair it with Gakwonsa to learn more about and reflect on Korea’s modern history.