Discover Around 30 Shops on Gyeonji-dong Buddhist Goods Street in Front of Jogyesa Temple

More Than 30 Specialty Shops Established at the Entrance to Jogyesa Temple in the 1970s

Gyeonji-dong Buddhist Supplies Street is a shopping area that formed at the entrance to Jogyesa Temple, the headquarters of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and extends to Gongpyeong Intersection and parts of Insadong. According to Korean tourism information, more than 30 specialty stores selling Buddhist books and supplies are clustered here, offering prayer beads, wooden fish, incense, Buddhist robes, Buddha statues, and Buddhist books.

The background behind the street's current character lies in its location next to Jogyesa Temple. After the Headquarters Construction Committee decided on March 5, 1937, to create a headquarters in the traditional style, Jogyesa became the center of Buddhist administration and propagation in the city, while the shops along the street established themselves as a neighborhood commercial area supplying ritual goods needed by temple visitors and worshippers.

A Free Walking Route Starting at 55 Ujeongguk-ro

The representative address is 55 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and the street does not charge an admission fee or viewing fee. There is no separate ticket booth, so visitors can access it by passing through the area around Jogyesa Temple and viewing the shop windows and merchandise.

It takes about 20–30 minutes to quickly look over the entire street, while allowing around 60 minutes is practical if you want to compare items or also explore the grounds of Jogyesa Temple. Since no unified notice confirming individual shops' opening hours and closing days was found, if you plan to buy a specific item, it is safest to call the shop in advance to ask about stock and whether it is open.

• Admission: Free
• Representative location: 55 Ujeongguk-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Recommended stay: 20–30 minutes for the street only; about 60 minutes including Jogyesa Temple
• Products sold: Buddhist books, wooden fish, prayer beads, Buddhist robes, Buddha statues, incense

Routes Connecting from Anguk Station Exit 6 and Jonggak Station Exits 2 and 3-1

From Exit 6 of Anguk Station on Subway Line 3, walk straight for about 100 m, turn left, and continue for approximately 300 m to reach Ujeongguk-ro in front of Jogyesa Temple. This route is presented in the official Yeondeunghoe guidance, and the distance from the station to the center of the street can be calculated as about 400 m.

At Jonggak Station on Line 1, leave through Exit 2 or Exit 3-1 and walk straight for about 100 m in the direction of Gongpyeong Intersection. By bus, you can use the Jogyesa Temple·Jongno Police Station stop; routes 109, 151, 162, 171, 172, 272, 601, and 708, as well as metropolitan route 9401, pass through this area.

Seoin-samadang's 40-Space Parking Lot and the 500 Won per 5 Minutes Option

For those arriving by car, the Seoin-samadang Public Parking Lot is the closest public parking option. Its address is 19 Insadong 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Gyeonji-dong), and it can be reached by heading toward Insadong from 55 Ujeongguk-ro, the representative location of Gyeonji-dong Buddhist Supplies Street.

Linked information from Share Nuri and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's standard data lists this parking lot as having 40 spaces, requiring no reservation, and operating 24 hours a day. The basic rate is 500 won per 5 minutes, and a monthly pass costs 350,000 won; the managing organization is the Jongno-gu Facilities Management Corporation. Discounts are also listed at 80% for people with disabilities and national merit recipients, 50% for compact and low-emission vehicles, 30% for families with two children, and 50% for families with three or more children.

• Parking lot: Seoin-samadang Public Parking Lot
• Address: 19 Insadong 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• Number of spaces: 40
• Basic rate: 500 won per 5 minutes
• Operation: 24 hours, year-round; no reservation required

The Commercial Area in Front of Jogyesa Temple, Designated a Seoul Future Heritage in 2021

Gyeonji-dong Buddhist Supplies Street was designated a Seoul Future Heritage in 2021. The Seoul Metropolitan Government included this street at the entrance to Jogyesa Temple among the tangible and intangible assets containing memories of modern and contemporary Seoul's daily life and industries, while Buddhist Broadcasting reported that the street had shared approximately 40 years with Jogyesa Temple.

This is not a place where visitors view a fixed exhibition like in a museum, but a commercial space where religious goods continue to be distributed. Therefore, if you have no intention of making a purchase, rather than approaching Buddha statues or incense closely as photography subjects, it is appropriate to ask first whether photography inside the shop is permitted and to avoid blocking passageways.

Traffic Changes on Ujeongguk-ro from May 16 to 17 During Yeondeunghoe

In 2026, Yeondeunghoe was held from May 16 to 17 in the areas around Jogyesa Temple, Ujeongguk-ro, and Jongno. On May 16, the section from Anguk Intersection to Jonggak Intersection was completely closed in both directions from 6 p.m. until midnight, and the road in front of Jogyesa Temple was used as the event venue.

The official Yeondeunghoe guidance states that bus travel is difficult on the day of the event and recommends using the subway. During this period, it is preferable to choose Anguk Station Exit 6 or Jonggak Station Exit 2 or 3-1 first; rather than relying on the Seoin-samadang parking lot, approaching by public transportation makes it easier to predict your route.

• 2026 Yeondeunghoe: May 16–17
• Event area: Insadong–Ujeongguk-ro in front of Jogyesa Temple–Jongno
• Anguk Intersection–Jonggak Intersection closure on May 16: 18:00–24:00
• Recommended transportation on the event day: Subway

Combine It with Jogyesa Temple and Insadong, but Be Clear About Your Shopping Purpose

Jogyesa Temple, immediately beside the street, is the headquarters of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and its grounds contain the Central Administrative Office responsible for the order's administrative, legislative, and judicial affairs. If you would first like to understand the context of Buddhist culture, it is easy to follow the sequence of exploring the grounds of Jogyesa Temple and then comparing necessary items such as prayer beads, incense, and scriptures at the shops along Ujeongguk-ro.

For foreign travelers, it is practical to show the names of products using a mobile-phone translation app. No integrated information center, unified telephone number, official standalone website, or information on wheelchair- and stroller-only facilities for the street itself was found. Since sidewalk widths and thresholds at individual shops vary, visitors requiring mobility assistance are advised to come with a companion and allow extra time for the visit.

A YouTube search could not load results because of service quota limitations as of August 4, 2026, so no video was included. Instead, the visit route was organized based on the Seoul Future Heritage designation record and official guidance related to Jogyesa Temple and Yeondeunghoe.