The obverse of the coin depicts the Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in, a Buddhist temple in Uji, Kyoto prefecture, with the kanji for "Japan" and "Ten Yen." The reverse shows the numerals "10" and the date of issue in kanji surrounded by bay laurel leaves.
10-yen coins issued between 1951 and 1958 have serrated edges, while 10-yen coins issued from 1959 onward do not.