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Adashino Nembutsu-Ji
This rather unusual temple is where the abandoned bones of paupers without kin were gathered. More than 8000 stone images are crammed into the temple grounds, dedicated to the repose of their spirits. The abandoned souls are remembered with candles each year in the Sentō Kuyō ceremony held here on the evenings of 23 and 24 August. The temple is not a must-see attraction, but it's certainly interesting and the stone images make unusual photographs.
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Daisen-In
The two small Zen gardens in this subtemple of Daitoku-ji are elegant examples of 17th-century karesansui (dry-landscape rock garden) style. Here the trees, rocks and sand are said to represent and express various spectacles of nature, from waterfalls and valleys to mountain lakes. It's one of the more popular subtemples here, but not as rewarding as Kōtō-in or Obai-in.
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Giō-Ji
This quiet temple was named for the Heian-era shirabyōshi (traditional dancer) Giō, who committed herself here as a nun at age 21 after her romance ended with Taira-no-Kiyomori, the mighty commander of the Heike clan. She was usurped in Kiyomori's affections by a fellow entertainer, Hotoke Gozen (who later deserted Kiyomori to join Giō at the temple).
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Heian-Jingū
Takigi Nō is a picturesque form of nō performed in the light of blazing fires on the evenings of 1 and 2 June at Heian-jingū. Tickets cost ¥2000 if you pay in advance at local ticket agencies or ¥3300 at the entrance gate.
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Higashi Hongan-Ji
A short walk north of Kyoto Station, this temple is the last word in all things grand and gaudy. Considering the proximity to the station, the free admission, the awesome structures and the dazzling interiors, this temple is an obvious spot to visit if you find yourself in the area.
In 1602 when shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu engineered the rift in the Jōdo Shin-shū (True Pure Land) school of Buddhism, he founded this temple as a competitor to Nishi Hongan-ji.
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Hōnen-In
One of Kyoto's hidden pleasures, this temple was founded in 1680 to honour the priest Hōnen. It's a lovely, secluded temple with carefully raked gardens set back in the woods. The temple buildings include a small gallery where frequent exhibitions featuring local and international artists are held. If you need to escape the crowds that positively plague nearby Ginkaku-ji, come to this serene refuge.
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Hōsen-In
The main tatami room offers a view of a bamboo garden and the surrounding mountains, framed like a painting by the beams and posts of the building. There is also a fantastic 700-year-old pine tree in the garden. The blood-stained Chi Tenjō ceiling boards came from Fushimi-jō castle. Located just down the path west of the entry gate to Shōrin-in temple.
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Jakkō-In
Jakkō-in is reached by a very pleasant walk through a quaint 'old Japan' village. It's a relatively small temple that can't compete with the beauty of its popular neighbour (the more famous Sanzen-in temple), but it does make an interesting end point to a fine walk in the country.
The history of the temple is exceedingly tragic.
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Jikkō-In
This small temple is often praised for its lovely garden and fudan-zakura cherry tree, which blossoms between October and March. Jikkō-in is worth the visit if you want to escape the crowds that often plague Sanzen-in. Located about 50m north of Sanzen-in.
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Jingo-Ji
This mountain-top temple is one of our favourites in all of Kyoto. It sits at the top of a long flight of stairs that stretch from the Kiyotaki-gawa to the temple's main gate. The Kondō (Gold Hall) is the most impressive of the temple's structures, located roughly in the middle of the grounds at the top of another flight of stairs.
After visiting the Kondō, head in the opposite direction along a wooded path to an open area overlooking the valley. Here you'll see people tossing small disks over the railing into the chasm below.
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Jizō-In
While this temple does not boast any spectacular buildings or treasures, it has a nice moss garden and is almost completely ignored by tourists, making it a great place to sit and contemplate.
From the parking lot near Saihō-ji, there is a small stone staircase that climbs to the road leading to Jizō-in (it helps to ask someone to point the way, as it's not entirely clear).
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Jōjakkō-Ji
This temple sits atop a mossy knoll and is famed for its brilliant maples, which turn a lovely crimson red in November, and its thatched-roof Niō-mon gate. The Hondō was constructed in the 16th century out of wood from Fushimi-jō.
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Kitano Tenman-Gū
This shrine is a great spot for a lazy stroll and the shrine buildings themselves are beautiful. It's particularly pleasant here in the plum-blossom season of March and is the site of Tenjin-San Market, one of Kyoto's most popular flea markets.
Kitano Tenman-gū was established in 947 to honour Sugawara Michizane (845-903), a noted Heian-era statesman and scholar.
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Kiyomizu-Dera
Along with Nijō-jō, Kinkaku-ji and Ginkaku-ji, Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto's most popular sights and is almost always swarming with Japanese and foreign tourists. Fortunately, it's a large complex and it can absorb a lot of visitors. It's worth a visit for the views over the grounds and the city, and the fascinating features scattered around the main hall.
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Kōdai-Ji
Kōdai-ji is one of Kyoto's more popular and 'trendy' temples, attracting visitors with a variety of events including seasonal night 'light-ups'. It's a lovely spot but you'll often find yourself jostling with hoards of other visitors who are lured by the temple's unique attractions.
This temple was founded in 1605 by Kita-no-Mandokoro in memory of her late husband, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
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Konchi-In
This fine subtemple of Nanzen-ji has a wonderful garden designed by Kobori Enshū. If you seek a good example of the technique of shakkei, look no further. Located just southwest of the main precincts of Nanzen-ji.
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Kōryū-Ji
A bit out of the way, Kōryū-ji is easily paired with nearby Myōshin-ji to form a half-day tour for those with an interest in Japanese Buddhism. It's notable mostly for its collection of Buddhist statuary and so a visit with a knowledgeable guide is a good way to learn about the different levels of beings in the Buddhist pantheon.
Kōryū-ji , one of the oldest temples in Japan, was founded in 622 to honour Prince Shōtoku, who was an enthusiastic promoter of Buddhism.
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Kōzan-Ji
Hidden amid a grove of towering ceder trees, this temple is the least accessible of the three temples in Takao Area. It's famous for the chuju giga scroll in its collection, an ink brush depiction of frolicking animals that is considered by many to be the precursor of today's ubiquitous manga. The temple is reached by following the main road north from the Yamashiro Takao bus stop or, more conveniently, by getting off the JR bus at the Toga-no-O bus stop, which is right outside the temple.
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Kurama-Dera
Located high on a thickly wooded mountain, Kurama-dera is one of the few temples in modern Japan that still manages to retain an air of real spirituality. This is a magical place that gains a lot of its power from its brilliant natural setting.
The temple also has a fascinating history: in 770 the monk Gantei left Nara's Toshōdai-ji in search of a wilderness sanctuary in which to meditate.
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Mampuku-Ji Off
For something totally different while in the Uji area, you might consider a side trip to the unusual Mampuku-ji, a seldom visited temple a little bit north of the centre of Uji.
Mampuku-ji was established as a Zen temple in 1661 by the Chinese priest Ingen. It is a rare example in Japan of a Zen temple built in the pure Chinese style of the Ming dynasty. The temple follows the Ōbaku school, which is linked to the mainstream Rinzai school but incorporates a wide range of esoteric Buddhist practices.
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Mibu-Dera
Mibu-dera was founded in 991 and belongs to the Risshū school. In the late Edo period, it became a training centre for samurai. Mibu-dera houses tombs of pro-shōgunate Shinsen-gumi members, who fought bloody street battles resisting the forces that succeeded in restoring the emperor in 1868. Except for an unusual stupa covered in Jizō statues, visually the temple is of limited interest.
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Nanzen-In
This subtemple of Nanzen-ji is up the steps after you pass under the aqueduct. It has an attractive garden designed around a heart-shaped pond. This garden is best seen in the morning or around noon, when sunlight shines directly into the pond and illuminates the colourful carp.
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Nanzen-ji Temple
The Nanzen-ji Temple is one of Kyoto's most pleasant temples, with expansive grounds and numerous sub-temples. It began as a retirement villa for Emperor Kameyama but was dedicated as a Zen temple on his death in 1291. Civil war in the 15th century destroyed most of it; the present buildings date from the 17th century.
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Nijō Jinya
Nijō Jinya is an interesting attraction, although it's not really geared to foreign visitors. This former merchant's home was built in the mid-1600s and served as an inn for provincial feudal lords visiting the capital. What appears to be an average Edo-period mansion, however, is no ordinary dwelling.
The house contains fire-resistant earthen walls and a warren of 24 rooms, and was ingeniously designed to protect the daimyō against possible surprise attacks.
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Nishi Hongan-Ji
This temple makes for a nice change from the incessant crowds of Higashi Hongan-ji. As with its counterpart, Nishi Hongan-ji is an easy walk from the station and it's free. The interior of the main hall here is both gaudy and sublime.
Nishi Hongan-ji was originally built in 1272 in the Higashiyama Mountains by the priestess Kakushin, daughter of Shinran, who was founder of the Buddhist Jōdo Shin-shū school.
