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    Thien Hau Temple

    4.9 (62 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Thien Hau Temple Photos

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    Jessica W.

    上班?上進? 可能我會選擇先上香,舉高香,敬神明,願家人幸福,安康第一,以如常為喜,以如願為安~ 放假來我很喜歡的天后宮走走,接近過年, 信徒比以往多,轉角就有個中餐,午餐就不用跑太遠了!

    Lanterns available at different prices, depending on size. It is for good luck and health.
    Tammy T.

    I've been visiting Thien Hau Temple for many years with my mom and even though, it appears "smaller" as I get older, the beauty of this place in my eyes hasn't changed. My family is Buddhist, and every Lunar New Year, they visit different temples to pray for health and wellbeing for the new year. Stopping by Thien Hau Temple has become a yearly tradition for my mom and I usually tag along because it always gives me such peaceful vibes when I walk in. Like most temples, there is vegetarian food available that looks extremely delicious, but I usually pass on that due to the crowds lining up for it. I am a carnivore so waiting 20+ minutes for napa cabbage with tofu never seems to be worth the wait. One thing that is inevitable though, is the wait for parking. If you come during Lunar New Year, the parking is horrific, so be prepared! Other than that, Thien Hau Temple is a place I enjoy visiting.

    1/5/23 FYI, parking lot
    Lee D.

    Quality/Quantity - Taoist Temple. What a cool find. Such a beautiful temple! See pictures. And so welcoming. Chinese New Year (CNY) is coming up, I am told there are many festivities here during that holiday. Atmosphere - Open to the public. Beautifully decorated. Free parking. Security. Promotes Yelp, LOL. See picture. Not sure if they had bathrooms...? Open 7 days a week from 10am to 2pm. Yelp hours differ. Service - Welcoming. Free bottles of water. Free bags of rice. Price - Free, please donate. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2006. Thank you for being so welcoming to the public.

    Operating hours, photo taken 6/16/23, mask optional.
    Bella F.

    A very nice temple that worships 媽祖 (Mazu), 關聖帝君 (Guan Yu) ,福德正神 (Tu Di Gong) ,觀音菩薩 (Guan Yin),地藏王 (Kshitigarbha) ,佛祖 (Buddha) and my favorite, 虎爺將軍 (Hu Yeh, "Tiger General") ! It's beautifully decorated inside and very clean/organized. It's become my favorite temple to visit! There is a place to burn paper money, to ask for 籤運 (fortune message sticks) and various other services. There are a few worship items that can be purchased as offerings at $5 per item, cash only. The friendly staff there speak Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Parking is really easy during the week. There is a designated parking lot and also street parking (with meters). The current operating hours are different from what's indicated on Yelp, so check the hours listed on the photo that I shared.

    The temple looked to be under construction
    Jeff K.

    A temple built in dedication to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu. Located in Los Angeles's China Town area, this temple is of huge spiritual significance to this community, and must visit for anyone interested in the Asian culture. The temple is open to the public. On weekends and the 1st and 15th day of the lunar calendar, food is provided for free to the general public. Sit inside or along the outside of this stunning temple and enjoy a authentic meal with this community while appreciating the architecture. A donation is optional and goes with out saying. Inside the community pays tribute to their gods Mazu, Guan Yu, and Fu De. Incense is provided and you light 11 sticks and walk around saying prayers and leaving them burning in designated areas. I myself worship another god, but still respectfully lit the incense and focused on sending positive energy to the people here, and good wishes for my loved ones. I'm not too familiar on the practice. I myself did not get greeted or got a tour. My conclusions are by observation only. This temple was actually built on an Italian Church in what used to be lil Italy. Just showing how the culture and times change here in Los Angeles. Giving this place spiritual significance across the board. You may have to drive around to find parking, once you find it follow the smell of burning incense and you are there.

    Ooh S.

    I just went there on Thursday 02/25/21. Unfortunately, it was closed. But i saw the sign about effective from 02/26/21 they will be open on every Friday , Sat and Sun only until further notice. So, if i have a chance, i will try to go there again.

    Cris I.

    The long wait at Howlin' Ray's brought me to this temple. To beat the boredom due to the the long wait time, I decided to explore the neighborhood. I saw the roof of this building from a distance so I decided to check it out. The temple is in a quiet neighborhood of Chinatown. First thing I noticed are the jasmine trees in front of the temple. At the time of my visit, the trees have abundant fragrant flowers that immediately sent in good vibes within me. The temple has very nice architecture with beautiful spiritual decor. It's very solemn in here so although pictures are allowed, please respect the worshippers saying their prayers. You are encouraged to light eleven incense sticks before you say your prayer and I wished I did but I didn't have the time. I hope someday I'll be able to come back and be able to do that.

    Store front
    Nadine C.

    Sometimes, I like to have an open, blank mind and just absorb... This temple in a quiet part of Chinatown Los Angeles gave me that peaceful, centered feeling! Alana and I found the free parking, walked into the building, and just wandered around. We took pictures, admired the floral and food offerings, and appreciated the landscaping. I paused by the incense and sent good thoughts and asked for blessings for friends and relatives. It's nice to see traditions carried on here in LA - as we do in Honolulu...

    Karen L.

    This Taoist temple located in Chinatown is very interesting to visit. We felt like we had left the US and been transported to China upon entering. Apparently it is possible to have a tour if you make arrangements in advance, but we just wandered through. I would like to go back so that I better understand what I saw. Without a tour and with little understanding of Taoism it is a sea of elaborate red and gold decor, statues, offerings of fruits and other foods, and burning incense. Nevertheless, it was still very interesting and very sensory to spend time there.

    Emily S.

    Thien Hau Temple is a Taoist temple in Los Angeles Chinatown. The size is about average. Bigger than the Xuan Wu San Temple nearby. It's right in the middle of Chinatown near, Alpine St and Yale St. Inside, there are a few shrines you can pray from. I think there are over 7 or 8. There's incense there, so you don't have to bring your own. There are also lots of Chinese fortune sticks you can use to see your fortune. The only problem, the fortunes only come in Thai, Vietnamese, and I think Chinese. No English. :P So bring someone who can read one of those. There's a parking lot, with a few parking spaces, and more parking spaces in the street. (Free) The place is nice. It's better if you see it in person. Not from the pictures. I didn't take any pictures inside the temple, because you're usually not allowed. Plus, it would be a little rude. :P Enjoy!

    the temple entrance
    Eric F.

    WOW! AMAZING!!! This is my review - mainly. WOW! This is a Chinese Temple - from the core of a very old animist religious tradition. The story is that a girl in ancient China saw a group of fisherman drowning and she gave her life to save them, so becoming a Goddess. This Temple is for her - and yet I saw NO altar to her. Instead, ALL of the altars are to other Gods - like the God of Benefit, or the God of Prosperity. There are 11 Gods worshiped here in all (if worshiped is the right word - - maybe "acknowledged" or "remembered" are better terms for it). To respectfully fulfill the process, enter the temple and go to the incense shrine. Pick 11 sticks of incense and light them on the sacred fire. Then go to each altar in the deeper temple and place once incense stick on or near it. Then pray to that God for favor. After you are finished with once stick, and one God, move onto the next. After completing the circuit of 11 Gods then pick up your sacred "Josh" ( a kind of paper money that you take with you that will bring you luck). There are many additional processes that I do not understand - and also many statues that each represent something that I also don't know - but in general, these above mentioned steps is the basic process. Oranges are often placed on the altars as well, but I'm not sure if you bring your own or if the priests offer them for you. There are parishioners who chant all day, bang drums, smack gongs, and do other things that may help you -- but again - I do not have a handle on this yet. However - the people here are very helpful - and they do not seem concerned with a round-eye like me snooping around. It seems that All Are Welcome. Come Here and Be Blessed.

    Inside Temple on New Years Eve 2015
    Russ C.

    One of the smaller but powerful Temples in Los Angeles. Come for traditional values, to worship, honor or simply to check it out. I come every Lunar New Year to Honor and continue Blessings that we all have. To donate and contribute to this place of worship... A must see while in the Original Chinatown in Downtown LA. This Temple is a smaller replica of the one in Asia.

    Always come here to pay respect to buddhas. There is ample parking space by the temple during non-busy occasions.

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    Very nice volunteers (Hope) she helped explain some of the temple's significance. Also getting a free meal !!

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    Ask the Community - Thien Hau Temple

    Can someone post the flier with the 4 animals for 2026?

    Horse, Rat, Ox, Rabbit, and Rooster.

    I've only been to church, never a temple. Does this temple have weekly service where a priest type of person gives sermons? If so, when?

    I don't think so, you can try Hsi Lai Temple for weekly prayer services, available both in Mandarin Chinese (Sundays) and in English (Saturdays), typically at 10am.

    Will there be a NYE celebration this year 2022?

    Yes, temple will be open until 12:30am 2/1. Updated hours on their site.

    Does this Temple have services in English?

    Yes they do have some staffs speaking English

    Is there an actual ceremony or is the festival is from 10pm to 1230am? I called the temple to find out about the agenda for the night but was unable to speak with someone in English. I would love some clarity on what the night timeline looks like.

    Yes, they start lighting firecrackers at around 12midnight to chase out the old current year vibes to start a New Year.

    Where can I park?

    Side, back and front.

    View All 7 Questions

    Review Highlights - Thien Hau Temple

    Incense was burning throughout-and if you'd like to burn some yourself, there is some readily available.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

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    Koyasan Buddhist Temple - Front courtyard (Jan 2026)

    Koyasan Buddhist Temple

    4.7(23 reviews)
    0.9 miLittle Tokyo, Downtown

    Koyasan Buddhist Temple is a small temple hidden within Little Tokyo. Our party came here on the…read moreNew Year Day (January 1st) and there was a long line for hatsumode (aka "first visit" - first visit of the year to a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine taking place on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day of the New Year). This temple was founded in 1912 and moved to the current location in 1940. This is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the United States. [Parking]: No designated parking for the temple, but Aiso Parking Garage (101 Judge John Aiso St) is located just one block away. [Waiting line]: The long waiting line is for visitors who want to pray inside of the temple. For anyone who want to buy souvenirs, then they can just walk directly into the front courtyard of the temple as there are separate lines to buy souvenirs. [Hatsumode]: Upon entering the temple, visitor can pay $5 donation for Goma-ki (write your wish and your name on the piece of wood and leave it on the table - it will supposedly be burned during a monthly ceremony Goma Fire Ritual at the last Sunday of each month outside of January). Once each person is done praying, then there's a wooden offering box for donation. No pictures are allowed inside of the temple. [Activities]: Other than hatsumode, the temple had Shusho-e (New Years Day) Service [with Mochi Presentation] on January 1st at 10 AM, New Year's Day Goma Service on January 1st at 2 PM, and Taiko Gohei Blessing Service / Goma Service throughout Jan 1st through Jan 3rd. [Classes]: Outside of hatsumode, the temple offers yoga class, Japanese calligraphy class, dharma class, tea with reverend, etc. throughout the year. [Souvenirs]: They sell omamori (Japanese amulets) , ofuda (talismans), ojuzu (Buddhist prayer beads), incense, arrows, etc. Heck they even sell Hello Kitty and Ultraman omamori. [Admission]: Free admission, but consider paying your respects with a donation in the large wooden offering box. [Conclusion]: This is one of few activities to do on the New Year Day and expect a huge crowd visiting for hatsumode. Our party stayed for approximately 45 minutes (including waiting time) and I definitely appreciate the tradition. Certainly worth a visit for anyone who is free on the New Year Day & would like to experience this annual Japanese cultural event.

    I have attended services at this Buddhist temple in Los Angeles. It the most popular Japanese…read moretemple in the city. The New Years service gets thousands of visitors. New Years service at Koyasan temple is gathering place for Little Tokyo.

    Photos
    Koyasan Buddhist Temple - Temple entrance (Jan 2026)

    Temple entrance (Jan 2026)

    Koyasan Buddhist Temple - Very hidden in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Has lots of history behind it.

    Very hidden in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Has lots of history behind it.

    Koyasan Buddhist Temple - Front courtyard (Jan 2026)

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    Front courtyard (Jan 2026)

    Thien Hau Temple - buddhist_temples - Updated May 2026

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