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4. Best 15 Temples and Shrines to Visit in Kyoto - 2024

Best 15 Temples and Shrines to Visit in Kyoto - 2024

2024/07/29

• shrine
• temple
• kyoto
• japaneseculture

Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples are scattered throughout Japan. But what sets them apart? Shrines are constructed to serve the Shinto religious tradition and are known for having a torii gate at the entrance. Temples, conversely, are built to serve the Buddhist religious tradition and are recognized by a Sanmon gate at the entrance. We recommend visiting the 15 best temples and shrines in Kyoto in 2014.

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Kiyoimzudera Temple

Kiyoimzudera Temple (清水寺, literally "Pure Water Temple") is one of Japan's most celebrated temples.

In 780, it was established at the location of the Ottawa Waterfall in the wooded hills east of Kyoto.

Initially connected to the Hosso sect, which is among the oldest schools of Japanese Buddhism, it established its own Kita Hosso sect in 1965.

The temple was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.

Kiyomizudera Temple is famous for its wooden stage that extends from its main hall, standing 13 meters above the hillside.

The stage affords stunning views of the numerous cherry and maple trees below, which explode with color in spring and fall, and the city of Kyoto in the distance.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社) , also referred to as Fushimi Inari Taisha, is an important Shinto shrine situated in the southern part of Kyoto.

The main buildings are renowned for the thousands of vermilion Torii gates that form a network of trails behind them.

These paths lead to the sacred Mount Inari forest, which is 233 meters tall and is included in the shrine grounds.

Dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice, Fushimi Inari is the most important of the thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari.

Numerous fox statues are placed in the shrine grounds, as foxes are believed to be Inari's messengers.

The ancient origins of Fushimi Inari Shrine go back to before the capital moved to Kyoto in 794.

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

Kinkakuji (金閣寺) is a Zen temple found in northern Kyoto and it is known by its other name, the Golden Pavilion.

The top two floors are entirely covered in gold leaf.

The temple, which was originally Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's retirement villa, was converted into a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after he died in 1408.

The temple was the inspiration for Ashikaga Yoshimasa to construct Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) a few decades later on the other side of the city.

Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion)

Ginkakuji (銀閣寺), also known as the Silver Pavilion, is a Zen temple located in the eastern mountains of Kyoto (Higashiyama).

In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa constructed his retirement villa on the grounds of the present-day temple, taking inspiration from Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), which was his grandfather's retirement villa situated at the foot of Kyoto's northern mountains (Kitayama).

Today, Ginkakuji comprises the Silver Pavilion, several other temple buildings, a stunning moss garden, and a distinctive dry sand garden.

Visitors can enjoy the temple by following a circular route around its grounds, allowing them to take in the beauty of the gardens and buildings.

Ryoanji Temple

Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺, Ryōanji) is home to Japan's most famous rock garden.

Originally an aristocrat's villa during the Heian Period, the site was converted into a Zen temple in 1450.

There is uncertainty about the history of Ryoanji's famous rock garden.

The date of its construction is not known, and there are multiple theories about its designer.

The garden consists of a rectangular plot of pebbles surrounded by low earthen walls, with 15 rocks laid out in small groups on patches of moss.

One interesting feature of the garden's design is that from any vantage point, at least one of the rocks is always hidden from the viewer.

Yasaka Shrine

Yasaka Shrine (八坂神社, Yasaka Jinja), also identified as Gion Shrine, is among Kyoto's most famous shrines.

The shrine, founded over 1350 years ago, is situated between the well-known Gion and Higashiyama districts

Every July, Yasaka Shrine holds its annual summer festival known as Gion Matsuri, which is well-known.

The Gion Matsuri, which dates back over a thousand years, is arguably the most famous festival in the country.

During the cherry blossom season around early April, the shrine becomes busy because Maruyama Park, which is nearby, is one of the most popular cherry blossom spots in Kyoto.

Nanzenji Temple

Nanzenji Temple (南禅寺) is situated at the foot of the forested Higashiyama mountains in Kyoto, Japan.

It serves as the head temple of one of the schools within the Rinzai sect of Japanese Zen Buddhism.

The temple grounds are expansive and encompass several sub-temples, making the complex quite large.

While the central temple grounds are open to the public free of charge, separate fees apply for entering temple buildings and sub-temples.

Toji Temple

Immediately after the capital moved to Kyoto during the Heian Period, Toji Temple (東寺, Toji), or 'East Temple', was established.

At the southern entrance of the city, the large temple and its sister temple, Saiji ("West Temple"), were the guardians of the capital.

Toji Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism, assumed the position of the head priest of Toji approximately thirty years after the temple was constructed.

As a result, the temple became one of the most significant Shingon temples, alongside the sect's headquarters on Mount Koya.

Nijo Castle (Nijojo)

Nijo Castle (二条城, Nijj) was constructed in 1603 as the residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867).

The palace buildings of the castle were finished by his grandson Iemitsu twenty-three years later and a five-story castle keep was added to further expand it.

In 1994, the castle was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marking its status as one of the best-surviving examples of castle palace architecture from Japan's feudal era.

Sanjūsangen-dō

Taira no Kiyomori, the famous warlord, was given the task of building Sanjsangen-d by Emperor Go-Shirakawa in 1164.

Throughout the hall, there are 1,001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of compassion in her thousand-armed form, which are mainly known for their fame.

The temple complex had its own size before a fire destroyed it, resulting in the rebuilding of only the main hall.

The long wooden structure's contents still leave visitors spellbound.

The hall is filled with golden Kannon statues and 28 sculptures of Buddhist guardian deities in the front row.

Tofukuji Temple

Tofukuji (東福寺, Tfukuji) is a large Zen temple in southern Kyoto, which is particularly famous for its spectacular autumn colors.

The temple was established by the Fujiwara clan's stronghold in 1236.

The name was created by combining the names of two famous temples in Nara that were associated with Fujiwara, Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple.

In autumn, people come from all over Japan to see Tofukuji's autumn colors. The most popular view is on the Tsutenkyo Bridge, which spans a valley of lush maple trees.

Daitokuji Temple

Daitokuji Temple (大徳寺) is a large walled temple complex in northern Kyoto, and it is the head temple of the Rinzai sect's Daitokuji school of Japanese Zen Buddhism.

The complex consists of nearly two dozen subtemples and is one of the best places in Japan to see a wide variety of Zen gardens and to experience Zen culture and architecture.

During the Onin War (1467-1477), Daitokuji, like most of Kyoto, was severely damaged and founded in 1319.

After its reconstruction, the temple became a center for tea ceremonies and became associated with tea master Sen no Rikyu, as well as the warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, both of whom were fond practitioners of tea ceremonies.

Heian-jingu

A Heian-Jingu shrine was constructed in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the establishment of Heian Kyo (Kyoto).

The first and last Emperors who ruled Kyoto, Emperor Kammu and Emperor Komei, are the subjects of this place.

The buildings of the shrine are a partial copy of the Imperial Palace of the Heian Period (794-1185).

Vermillion-lacquered Otenmon Gate and Daigoku-den (main hall) are truly stunning.

The gardens were designed during the Meiji period and have a diverse collection of flowers that change with the seasons.

Kifune Shrine

Kibune is a charming town nestled in a verdant valley located in the northern mountains of Kyoto City.

The town is centered around Kifune Shrine, which has an interesting legend associated with it.

The story goes that a goddess traveled in a boat from Osaka all the way up the river into the mountains north of Kyoto and her journey came to an end at the site where Kifune Shrine was built.

Daigoji Temple

Daigoji Temple (醍醐寺) is a significant temple of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism and is recognized as a designated world heritage site.

The temple complex is located on an entire mountainside in southeast central Kyoto and is a designated world heritage site.

The primary temple grounds are situated at the foot of the mountain and are linked to several more temple buildings around the summit via a hiking trail.