
There are plenty of temples in Gangjin, and a couple of quote-unquote famous ones. They are pleasant enough, and are fine places to wander and rest during a hike on one of the region's small mountains, but admittedly they do look like temples you'll find in every other part of the country. There are two idiosyncratic temples, though, worth a visit if you're in the mood for something a little different. The first is Nammireuksa, which has the tallest Buddha statue in Korea. The other is Omcheonsa.
Omcheonsa (옴천사) is known for having countless little stone pagodas piled up on the ground, on statues, on other pagodas, and just about everywhere. I say "countless," although it's referred to as a place of 3,000 pagodas (삼천불탑). Have a look at this profile from Korea Temple, including this list of cultural properties, and browse some other photos I took back in 2006.




Getting there and back is a little tricky without your own transportation. When I went there were no buses from Gangjin-eup, so I went to nearby Jangheung county and took a bus bound for Omcheon-myeon. It stops in front of the temple's entrance. To get back to Jangheung after walking around, you have to purchase a ticket from the little general store next to the temple's driveway. Buses pass by once an hour, nearly on the hour, so try to time your exit accordingly.
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