You can find Mibu-dera Temple (Mibudera) a 10-minute walk from Hankyu or Randen Omiya stations. The temple is famous for its connections with the Shinsengumi, a special police force that was active in the late Bakumatsu period of Japanese history. To tell you why this temple is related to the Shinsengumi, the reason is that the temple grounds were used as a training ground by the special police force. Even this day you can find a sculpture of the Shinsengumi commander Kondo Isami and the graves of eleven Shinsengumi members at the Mibu-zuka graveyard located at the temple. Because of this, the temple is a popular spot among those interested in the history of Japan. Mibu-dera is famous for its connections with the Shinsengumi, but it’s also a temple with a long history dating back to the year 991 in the Heian period of Japan. There are many important cultural artifacts at the temple, and you can also get to see traditional theater performances called Kyogen thrice a year, in February (Setsubun), April and October.