Overview
You may have seen landmarks in beautiful red maple leaves but a few places have them actually. In this article, I’ll show you an itinerary to enjoy bright and crystal clear red autumn leaves in Kyoto around mid-November, the highest season for autumn leaves.
We visit Eikando temple, Konkai Komyoji temple, Kitano tenmangu shrine, Nisonin temple, and Tenjuan temple. At Tenjuan temple, we enjoy the illumination of maple trees.
2018: An Autumn Leaves Odyssey in Kyoto
At 8：30, Keage station
The tour starts at Keage station of Kyoto municipal Subway. Many guide books and websites recommend to you No.5 bus to get to Eikando temple but we don’t take it because it always crowded in this season.
Eikando temple, the dawn of autumn leaves 永観堂
Overview
Eikando temple is the most famous and popular spot to enjoy autumn leaves in Kyoto. It has around 3,000 maple trees in it area. It enshrined peculiar statue of Amitabha: the turning around Amitabha.
Crowded?・・・★★★★★ 5 of 5
Time required・・・80 minutes
The time table
Arrive at Eikando temple 8：45~9：00
Leave Eikando temple 10：30
The autumn leaves in Eikando temple
At red alien in the map, we can admire the vivid red.
The purple alien indicates the most adorable maple leaves to see. In the photo, red maple leaves and those of yellow ginko fall at the same time. It is one of rare and sperb moments in Eikando temple: they don’t always fall at the same time.
About Eikando temple
Name: Syujuu Raigozan Muryojyuin Zenrinji 聖衆来迎山無量寿院禅林寺
De facto name: Eikando temple
Adress Eikando cho 84, Sakyo ward, Kyoto city, 〒606-8445
Phone No. 075-761-0007
FAXNo. 075-771-4243
Website Eikando official
Usual Opeining hours 9:00～17:00（Etrance is closed at 16:00）
Entrance fee Adult 600 yen
Time required 1hour～
Konkai Komyoji temple 金戒光明寺
Overview
Konkai Komyoji is one of the most underrated places to enjoy autumn leaves in Kyoto.
We can admire them in silence even in the midst of fall.
Crowded?・・・★☆☆☆☆ 1 of 5
Time required・・・50 minutes
The time table
Arrive at Konkai Komyoji temple 10：45
Admire buildings and gardens 10：45~11：30
Supper 11：30～12：20
Leave Konkai Komyoji temple 12：20
Konkai Komyoji temple has a small restaurant. We can enjoy common Japanese food like Udon. If you wanted to have formal Bento or something, Enjoy them at Kamishichiken (pronounced “Kamihichiken” in Kyoto dialect) district near Kinano tenmangu, the next destination.
Take No. 203 bus at Okazakimichi (the red bus annotation) or Okazakijinjya mae (the blue bus annotation) bus stop.
The autumn leaves in Eikando temple
Sanmon gate 三門
In front of Sanmon gate, there are vivid red maple leaves. We can enter the gate in fall though it is not open to public usually.
The garden 庭園
The red leaves in the garden is not same as those in front of the gate but they take our breath away.
The red is indigenous to Konkai Komyoji!
About Konkai Komyoji
Official name: Shiun-zan Konkai Komyoji 紫雲山金戒光明寺
De facto name: Kurodani-san 黒谷さん
Address: 121 Kurodani cho , Sakyo ward, Kyoto city, 〒606-8331
Phone no. 075-771-2201
Fax no. 075-771-0836
Official Website : Konkai Komyoji official (Japanese language only)
Open hours : 9:00～16:00
Kitano tenmangu Mission 北野天満宮
Overview
Kitano tenmangu is also a underrated place to see autumn leaves. It has one of the most astonishing red maple leaves in Kyoto though people pay scarce attention to them.
Crowded?・・・★☆☆☆☆ 1 of 5
Time required・・・45 minutes
The time tables
Arrive at Kitanotenmangu shrine 13：15
Leave Kitanotenmangu shrine 14：00
Take train at Randen Kitano hakubaicho station 14：10
Arrive at Randen Arashiyama station 14：30
The autumn leaves in Kitano tenmangu shrine
In the area of Kitano tenmangu shrine, there is a kind of river bank named “Odoi.” Odoi used to tell the border of the ancient Kyoto city. On the bank, we can see so bright red and yellow leaves.
DO NOT MISS THEM!
O.K.?
About Kitano Tenmangu shrine
Name: Kitano Tenmangu 北野天満宮
Adress Bakurocho, Kamigyo ward, Kyoto city
Phone No. 075-461-0005
FAX No. 075-461-6556
Website Kitano Tenmangu official
Usual Opeining hours
5:30～17:30
Entrance fee: Free
Nisonin temple 二尊院
Overview
Nisonin temple named after two Buddhist Deity who send us to the next life. One of the most popular spots to enjoy autumn leaves in Arashiyama district.
Crowded?・・・★★★★☆ 4 of 5
Time required・・・45 minutes
The time table
Arrive at Randen Arashiyama station 14：30
Arrive at Nisonin temple 14：45
Leave Nisonin temple 15：30
Arrive at Hankyu Arashiyama station 16：00
Arrive at Subway Keage station about 17：30
Arrive at Randen Arashiyama station (the red annotation) 14：30
Arrive at Nisonin temple 14：45
Leave Nisonin temple 15：30
Arrive at Hankyu Arashiyama station (the blue annotation) 16：00
Arrive at Subway Keage station about 17：30
From Hankyu Arashiyama station to Subway Keage station!
Take Hankyu Arashiyama line to Katsura station. At Katsura station, take Hankyu Kyoto line to Karasuma station.
At Subway Shijo station, take Subway Karasuma line to Karasuma Oike. At Karasuma Oike, take Subway Tozai line to Keage station.
The autumn leaves in Nisonin temple
To the main hall, we climb up the hill named “The stable of Autumn leaves.”
On the hill, the main hall of Nisonnin temple is located. We can enjoy so vivid red leaves around there.
About Nison-in temple
Official name: Ogurayama Nison Kyoin 小倉山二尊教院
Address: 27 Saga Nison-in Monzenchojin cho, Ukyo ward, Kyoto city
Phone no. 075-861-0687
FAX no. 075-861-7972
Website; Nison-in official
Open hours: 9:00～16:30
Entrance fee: Adult 500 yen
The illumination at Eikando temple 永観堂ライトアップ
Overview
Crowded?・・・★★★★★ 5 of 5
Time required・・・75 minutes
ATTENTION!
The illumination at Eikando temple is so popular that it is populated. Every year, the gate is open at 18:00 but people wait in line before it opens. Be there there as fast as you can.
The time table at Eikando temple
Arrive at Eikando temple: at least 17：45
Leave Eikando temple 19：15
Arrive at Tenjuan temple 18：00
The illumination at Eikando temple
At night, the pathway in the garden become one-way and we cannot enter buildings.
Tenjuan temple and beyond the infinite 天授庵
Overview
Tenju-an has a Zen garden designed by Kobori Ensyu, the famous garden designer in 17th century, and a stroll garden. We cannot enter the gardens at night.
Crowded?・・・★★★★★ 5 of 5
Time required・・・30 minutes
The illumination at Tenjuan temple
Zen garden 本堂前庭 （枯山水庭園）
We admire the zen garden in Hojo building.
The maple leaves in Zen garden are always so warm. I’ve never seen such tender autumn leaves in other places.
The stroll garden
At Shoin building, we can enjoy the stroll garden. It has bamboo trees illuminated in green.
About Tenjuan temple
Official name: Zuiho-zan Tenju-an 瑞龍山天授庵
Address: Nanzenji Fukujicho, Sakyo ward, Kyoto city, 〒606-8435
Phone no. 075-771-0744
Official Website : Not available.
Open hours : 8:40~17:00
Entrance admission fee :Adult 400yen
About autumn leaves in Kyoto
Articles
Video
