Tofukuji temple: Autumn leaves in Kyoto 2024

目次/Contents

Autumn leaves in Tofukuji temple 2024
1. Overview
2. Sengyokukan valley 洗玉澗
Into Sengyokukan valley
The main hall and gardens 本坊庭園
One more time, one more bridge
The best time to visit Tofukuji temple
About Tofukuji temple
How to get to Tofukuji temple

Autumn leaves in Tofukuji temple 2024

Overview

Built in 1255, Tofukuji temple is one of the oldest Zen temples in Kyoto. It is named after Todaiji and Kofukuji temple in Nara. The Sanmon gate (The photo above) is the oldest one in Japan and listed as National treasure. It used be a famous for beautiful cherry blossoms but they were replaced with maple trees in Muromachi period (1336 ~ 1573) to be a landmark of autumn leaves. Today, it is famous for bridges floating over cloud of autumn leaves and amazing Zen garden.

We have two places to visit in Tofukuji temple: Sengyokukan valley and The main hall.

Sengyokukan valley has about 2,000 maple trees.

On the other hand, the main hall has four beautiful gardens.

Sengyokukan valley 洗玉澗

I’m sure you have seen this scenery in guide books. At Tofukuji temple, there are bridges floating over the cloud of autumn leaves. One is Tsutenkyo(通天橋 In the picture above. The red alien in the map.) and the other is Gaunkyo(臥雲橋 In the picture below. The blue alien in the map. ) Tsutenkyo is located in the area of Tofukuji temple. If you would like to go there, you pay entrance fee and have permission. On the other hand, Gaunkyo is located outside of the area of Tofukuji and you can be there without them.

As indicated in the map above, these bridges faces each other. It is not permitted to take pictures on them these years. Between them, there is Sengyokukan valley.

This is Tsutenkyo bridge. In fall, it is crowded with many tourists. From here, we can enjoy amazing red and vermilion autumn colors.

Into Sengyokukan valley

The vermilion cat indicates the entrance of Sengyokukan valley. After the entrance, you stroll along a path (the green line in the map). It is so narrow that it takes at least 40 minuntes to get to exit. The path leads to Kaizando building. At the green alien, there are two paths to take: To Kaizando or to Tsutenkyo bridge and exit. If you were in hurry, head for exit. Usually in fall, it takes around 1 hour to get out of the valley by way of Kaizando building.

In the valley, we can admire so beautiful red and vermilion leaves. Only a few places has this kind of colors.

In addition to it, we also enjoy green leaves with them. We have a few places to see green, red, and vermilion leaves at the same time.

Between two bridges, there is a stream. The fallen leaves are so stunning. This is my favorite place in Tofukuji temple.

やぎももさん

Beyond descriptionどすえ

The main hall and gardens 本坊庭園

The main hall has four gardens. This is the South garden called “Hasso no niwa,” or Hasso garden. Hasso means important eight things like enlightenment happened to Gautama Buddha. It is a typical Zen rock garden constructed with white pebbles, stones, and evergreen, and moss. Thanks to them, we have the same view of the garden in any season. In fall we can catch a glimpse of maple trees behind the wall. The blue octopus in the map is the entrance.

At the West garden, there also is zen garden.

Adjacent to it, there is a small place to see Tsutenkyo bridge (the purple dinosaur in the map).

The north garden has extraordinary colors.

And the East garden, too.

One more time, one more bridge

There is a sub-temple named Ginryuan (龍吟庵). On the way to there, we have small bridge named Engetsukyo (偃月橋 The purple alien in the map).

The best time to visit Tofukuji temple

Usually, the autumn leaves in Tofukuji temple goes into bloom around mid-November, couples of days earlier than most of the landmarks in Kyoto. Korinin temple, Ryoanji temple, Toji, and Komyoin temple went into bloom at the same time.