Category: Fall (autumn leaves)
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Chorakuji Temple (長楽寺)
Chorakuji Temple is located east of Yasaka Jinja Shrine, up the hill from Maruyama Park. It has a long history. In 805 Dengyo Daishi (a great Buddhist priest) created the temple at the order of Emperor Kanmu. It was originally a branch temple of Hieizan Enryakuji Temple of the Tendai sect. Later, in the early…
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Koshoji Temple (迎稱寺)
Koshoji Temple is a temple of the Jishu sect of Buddhism and is close to Shinnyodo and other temples. Icchin Shonin (1278-1355), the sixth generation of the Yugyo Shonin (leading priests of the Jishu sect), founded this temple. However, there are other stories regarding the origin of this temple. The wooden structure of Icchin Shonin…
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88 sacred temples Pilgrimage in Omuro (御室八十八ヶ所霊場)
Behind the Ninnaji Temple, there is a mountain path called Omurojojusan, which is dotted with 88 small Buddhist temples. Ninnaji Temple manages this route. In the Edo period (1603-1868), it was difficult to visit the 88 sacred sites on Shikoku. So in 1827, the 29th Monk of Ninnaji Temple made a request to bring back…
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Obai-in temple (黄梅院), Daitokuji
Obai-in temple’s gardens are must see if you have chance. This temple is a real hidden gem in Kyoto. Oda Nobunaga built Obai-an in 1562 as a memorial service for his father, Oda Nobuhide. And it is one of the sub-temples of Daitokuji Temple. After Nobunaga’s sudden death due to the Honnoji Incident, Hideyoshi Hashiba…
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Hosenin Temple (宝泉院) in Ohara
Hosenin temple is a temple of the Tendai sect in Ohara. Together with the Jikkoin Temple, it is a sub-temple of the Shorinin Temple. As visitors enter through the temple gate, they see before them a temple’s symbol, a 700-year-old goyomatsu (five-leaf pine tree). Because it is a large and precious goyomatsu tree, “Hosenin no…
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Jikkoin Temple (実光院) in Ohara
Jikkoin Temple in Ohara is a monastery of nearby Shorinin Temple, which used to be the main hall of a sub-temple of Gyozan Taigenji. In addition to this temple and Hosenin Temple, there used to be many other monastery buildings such as Fugenin and Rikakuin. The Temple’s official WEB site tells the history of the…
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Jakkoin Temple (寂光院) in Ohara
Jakkoin Temple in Ohara is a nunnery of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. This is the temple where Kenreimonin, daughter of Taira no Kiyomori, spent the rest of her life. History of Jakkoin Temple In 594 Prince Shotoku built the temple to mourn the loss of his father, Emperor Yomei. The first abbot was Tamateru…
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Sanzenin Temple (三千院) in Ohara
Sanzenin Temple was originally built by Saicho during the Enryaku era (782-806) in the Toto Minamidani (東塔南谷) on Mt. Hiei. Since the late Heian period, the temple has been a monzeki, with the prince and imperial family serving as abbots. The location of the temple has moved several times over time, from within Hieizan to…
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Takiguchidera Temple (滝口寺)
Takiguchidera Temple is a very small temple next to Gioji Temple in Saga area. This temple began as an Oujo-in temple in the Heian period. The temple was abandoned during the Meiji period due to the abolition of Buddhism. It was rebuilt together with Gioji Temple in the Showa period. This temple is famous for…
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Shorenin Monzeki (青蓮院門跡)
Shorenin Monzeki is one of the three monzeki of Enryakuji Temple on Mt. Hiei (other two is Sanzen-in and Myoho-in). It is now one of the five Kyoto Monzeki of the Tendai sect. It originated from Shorenbo, a monk’s abode on Mt. Hiei, which at that time was the residence of Saicho, Ennin, and other…
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Konpukuji Temple (金福寺)
If you are interested in Haiku or Matsuo Basho, Konpukuji Temple has a trace of Basho and other important Haiku poets. Konpukuji Temple is a temple of the Nanzenji school of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. It is a sacred place for haiku pilgrims. Konpukuji Temple was built in 864, and was rebuilt by monk Tesshu in…
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Tanukidani-san Fudō-in Temple (狸谷山不動院)
Tanukidani-san Fudoin is the head temple of Shugendo, the Shingon sect of Buddhism, located in Ichijoji, Sakyo-ku. The main hall of the temple, built in the Kengai-zukuri style (stage style), is located up the hill from Shisen-do Hall and 250 more steps. Templs’s official WEB site The origin of the Temple dates back to the…
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Shisendo Jozanji (詩仙堂丈山寺)
Shisendo is a branch temple of Eiheiji Temple of the Soto sect of Buddhism, where Ishikawa Jozan lived until his death in 1672 at the age of 90. Ishikawa participated in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. And quit the warrior’s life after the Summer Battle of Osaka in 1614. Afterwards, Ishikawa wrote poems on…
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Toji-in Temple (等持院)
History Toji-in Temple is a temple of the Tenryuji school of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Although the temple has a long history and is close to Kinkakuji Temple and Ryoanji Temple, it is quiet tourists rarely visit here. Ashikaga Takauji, the first shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, invited the monk Muso Kokushi and…
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Kodaiji Temple (高台寺)
Kodaiji Temple is located between the famous Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Yasaka-Jinja Shrine, up the mountain side from a narrow path commonly called Nene-no-michi. Temple’s official WEB site History of Kodaiji Temple Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s wife, Nene (Kita-no-Mandokoro) founded the Kodaiji Temple in 1606 as a place of mourning for Hideyoshi. There are many important cultural assets…
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Manshu-in Temple (曼殊院)
Manshu-in is a monzeki temple located in Ichijodani. From Enkoji Temple, you will pass through a residential area and walk along a path called Manshuin-do (Manshuin Road), which leads to a wooded area. After passing through there, you will see Manshuin Temple. Manshu-in was originally opened by Saicho as a dojo on Mt. Hiei. It…
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Bishamondo Monzeki (毘沙門堂門跡)
History of Bishamondo in Yamashina Bishamondo monzeki, in Yamashina, is a temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. It dates back to 703 when the Emperor Monmu requested the construction. When it was initially established, it lay north of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. It bore the name “Izumo-ji Temple.” After war and burning down, the…
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Ginkakuji Temple (銀閣寺)
The official name of Ginkakuji Temple is Higashiyama Jishoji Temple, one of the sub-temples of Shokokuji Temple. Ginkakuji is based on Higashiyama-den, a villa built by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the 8th Shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate. It became a temple after Yoshimasa’s death. Shokokuji Temple Official WEB site (English page) The common name “Ginkaku” (silver pavilion)…
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Honen-in Temple (法然院)
Leaving the Philosopher’s Path before reaching Ginkakuji Temple, visitors will find Honen-in Temple on the east side of the mountain. This temple was founded in 1680, in the early Edo period. The origin of the temple is as follows. Emperor Go-Toba was the one who later caused the Jokyu Rebellion and was exiled to Oki.…
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Philosopher’s Path (哲学の道)
Philosopher’s Path is a beautiful 2-kilometer walkway that connects Ginkakuji Temple and Nanzenji Temple. The name “Philosopher’s Path is not official one. The name is familiar because the surrounding scenery and serene atmosphere make it an ideal place for philosophical contemplation; it is named after the early 20th century philosopher, Kitaro Nishida, a professor at…
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Shinnyo-do (真如堂)
When you pass through the north gate of Konkai Komyoji Temple, Shinnyo-do Hall is immediately ahead of you. Its official name is Shinsho-Gokurakuji Temple. It is a temple of the Tendai sect, with Hieizan Enryakuji as its head temple. And it was founded in 984. Its common name, Shinnyo-do, refers to the main hall. The…
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Eishoin Temple (栄摂院)
The narrow path from Konkai-komyoji Temple to Shinnyo-do Hall is a path where people in the know can enjoy a foliage walk in the fall. You find Eishoin along this path. This temple is on the north side of Konkai Komyoji Temple, and one of the sub-temples of Konkai Komyoji Temple. It has an eye-catching…
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Konkai Komyoji Temple (金戒光明寺)
Konkai Komyoji Temple is one of the seven head temples of the Jodo sect of Buddhism, and is said to have been built by Honen in 1175. At the end of the Edo period, this temple became the headquarters of the Aizu han (feudal domain), which was appointed as the guardian of Kyoto, and the…
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Eikando (永観堂)
Just a short distance from Nanzenji, you find the Eikando Hall. The temple was originally the Higashiyama Villa of Fujiwara Sekio during the Heian period (794-1185). Shinsho (a disciple of Kukai) purchased it in 853. And he enshrined the Gochi-nyorai (five wisdom buddhas) there. Temple’s official WEB site The main hall is dedicated to the…
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Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺)
Nanzenji Temple was founded in 1291 by Hōhō Kameyama with Daimyō Kokushi as its master, and is regarded as one of the most prestigious temples in the Zen sect. Upon entering the temple grounds, one is first surprised by the size of the Sanmon Gate, an important cultural property. This is the place where Ishikawa…
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Enkoji Temple (圓光寺)
Enkoji Temple was originally opened by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1601 as Enko-ji School in Fushimi, and was moved to its current location in Ichijodani in 1667. Cultural assets in the temple include a six-panel screen depicting bamboo groves by Maruyama Okyo (Important Cultural Property) and 50,000 wooden typefaces produced in the early modern period (Important…
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Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮)
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine can be entered through either the North Gate or the East Gate (Important Cultural Property). It is best to visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine during the plum blossom season or the season of autumn leaves. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, famous as Tenjin-san, is the general shrine of Tenmangu or Tenjin-sha throughout Japan. The shrine…
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Jojakkoji Temple (常寂光寺)
Jojakkoji Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the scenic Saga district. It is on a forested Ogurayama mountainside, offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The temple is famous for its beautiful autumn foliage, making it a popular destination for tourists during the fall season. Jojakkoji Temple was founded in the 16th century by…
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Chishakuin Temple (智積院)
Chishakuin Temple in Kyoto is the head temple of the Chizan School of Shingon Buddhism. Originally located in Wakayama Prefecture as one of the sub-temples of the Daidenpoin Temple, it was rebuilt in Kyoto in 1598 after a war. Chishakuin Garden Chishakuin Temple has a famous pond garden facing the Daishoin (main drawing room). This…
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Seiryoji Temple (清凉寺)
Seiryoji Temple, commonly known as Saga Shakado, has Shakyamuni as its principal deity. The standing statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the main hall is a national treasure and came from India. This statue is usually kept secret and is only open to the public during special visits. Seikaji Temple, the predecessor of Seiryoji Temple, is…
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Gioji Temple (祇王寺)
According to the Tale of the Heike and the Genpei Seisuki, Gioji Temple is where Shirabyoshi (dancer) Gio became a nun at the then Saga Oujoin Temple along with his mother Toji and sister Kojo. Taira no Kiyomori once favored her but later treated her coldly. That’s why Gio decided to become a nun. The…
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Sokushu-in Temple (即宗院)
Sokusho-in was built in 1387 as a memorial to Ujihisa Shimazu of the Satsuma clan. It was burnt down in 1569, but was rebuilt by Iehisa Shimazu in 1613. Since then, the temple has a close relationship with the Satsuma clan. The present temple gate was built when the temple was rebuilt. Sokushu-in, a sub-temple…
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Tofukuji Temple (東福寺)
Tofukuji Temple is the head temple of the Tofukuji School of the Rinzai Sect of Zen Buddhism, and was completed in 1255. The Sanmon Gate is a National Treasure, and there are many other important cultural properties including the Zendo Hall. Tofukuji official WEB site The Sanmon Gate is the oldest and largest of the…
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Sekihoji Temple (石峰寺) Temple associated with Ito Jakuchu
Sekihoji Temple is a temple of the Őbaku school of Zen Buddhism. The temple has distinctive Chinese-style gates, which is a characteristic of Obaku School. It is the place where Ito Jakuchu built a hamplet and spent the last years of his life. You can find his cemetery in the temple ground (there is his…
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Kyutei Omuro (旧邸御室)
Kyutei Omuro, also known as the Omuro Residence, is a historic, traditional Japanese house. It is in the vicinity of the Ninnaji Temple in Kyoto. This house was built in 1937. And it is a Sukiya style architecture with magnificent decorations. Although this building has a short history, it is representative of Kyoto’s architecture and…