The approach to Hasedera consists of a small temple town, whose restaurants and merchants have been catering to temple visitors for centuries. At the base of the temple is the Niomon Gate with statues of guardian deities housed within. A long corridor with almost 400 steps leads up to the main hall, passing a variety of other buildings along the way. From the top, the view can be breathtaking, and during cherry blossoms or autumn colors the view itself can be reason enough to make the journey.