Religious, Spiritual sights in Kyoto
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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. The temple complex was relocated to its present site in 1591, on land provided by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (16th-century shōgun). By then, the Jōdo Shin-shū had accumulated immense power and the temple became its headquarters. Tokugawa Ieyasu sought to weaken the power of Jō…
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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. Rebuilt in 1895 after a series of fires destroyed all of the original structures, it is certainly monumental but less impressive artistically than its rival. The temple is now the headquarters of the Ōtani branch of Jōdo…
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Togetsu-Kyō
This bridge is the dominant landmark in Arashiyama and is just a few minutes on foot from either the Keifuku line or Hankyū line Arashiyama Stations. The original crossing, constructed in 1606, was about 100m upriver from the present bridge. On 13 April jūsan-mairi, an important rite of passage for local children aged 13, takes place here. Boys and girls (many in kimono), after paying respects at Hōrin-ji and receiving a blessing for wisdom, cross the bridge under strict parental order not to look back towards the temple until they’ve reached the northern side of the bridge. Not heeding this instruction is believed to bring bad luck for life! From July to mid-September,…
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Nijō Jinya
A few minutes’ walk south of Nijō-jō, 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. Here you’ll find hidden staircases, secret passageways and an array of counterespionage devices. The main room’s ceiling skylight is fitted with a trap door from where …
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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. The Hattō to the right of the main gate houses a magnificent trio of 9th-century statues: Buddha, flanked by manifestations of Kannon. The Reihōkan contains numerous fine Buddhist statues, including the …
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Tenryū-ji
This fine temple has one of the most attractive stroll gardens in all of Kyoto, particularly during the spring cherry-blossom and autumn-foliage seasons. The main 14th-century Zen garden, with its backdrop of the Arashiyama Mountains, is a good example of shakkei. Unfortunately, it’s no secret that the garden here is world class, so it pays to visit early in the morning or on a weekday.
Tenryū-ji is a major temple of the Rinzai school. It was built in 1339 on the old site of Go-Daigo’s villa after a priest had a dream of a dragon rising from the nearby river. The dream was seen as a sign that the emperor’s spirit was uneasy and so the temple was built as appeasement – h…
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Heian-jingū
One of Kyoto’s more popular sights, this shrine was built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto. The shrine buildings are gaudy replicas, reduced to a two-thirds scale, of the Imperial Court Palace of the Heian period (794–1185). About 500m in front of the shrine is a massive steel torii. Although it appears to be entirely separate, this is actually considered the main entrance to the shrine itself. The vast garden here, behind the shrine, is a fine place for a wander and particularly lovely during the cherry-blossom season. With its large pond and Chinese-inspired bridge, the garden is a tribute to the style that was popular in the He…
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Ujigami-jinja
Ujigami-jinja holds the distinction of being Japan’s oldest shrine. Despite its historical significance, the shrine is the least interesting of Kyoto’s 17 Unesco World Heritage sites. According to ancient records, Uji-no-waki-Iratsuko, a 5th-century prince, tragically sacrificed his own life to conclude the matter of whether he or his brother would succeed the imperial throne; needless to say his brother, Emperor Nintoku, won the dispute. The main building was dedicated to the twosome and their father, Emperor Ōjin, and enshrines the tombs of the trio. The shrine is across the river from Byōdō-in and a short walk uphill; take the orange bridge across the river. On the way…
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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. Hōnen-in is a 12-minute walk from Ginkaku-ji, on a side street to the east of Tetsugaku-no-Michi; you may have to ask for directions.
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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. It is, however, definitely worth visiting during Mibu kyōgen (comic drama) performances in late April, or the Setsubun celebrations in early February.
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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. 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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Mampuku-ji
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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Takiguchi-dera
The history of this temple reads like the romance of Romeo and Juliet. Takiguchi-dera was founded by Heian-era nobleman Takiguchi Nyūdō, who entered the priesthood after being forbidden by his father to marry his peasant consort Yokobue. One day, Yokobue came to the temple with her flute to serenade Takiguchi, but was again refused by him; she wrote a farewell love sonnet on a stone (in her own blood) before throwing herself into the river to perish. The stone remains at the temple.
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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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Hōsen-in
A quieter option than Sanzen-in, this temple is just down the path west of the entry gate to Shōrin-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.
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Jōjakkō-ji
This temple is perched on top of a mossy knoll and is famed for its brilliant maple trees, 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 sourced from Fushimi-jō.
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Nison-in
This is a popular spot with maple-watchers. Nison-in was originally built in the 9th century by Emperor Saga. It houses two important Kamakura-era Buddha statues side by side (Shaka on the right and Amida on the left). The temple features lacquered nightingale floors.
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Shōrin-in
This temple is worth a look, even if only through its admission gate, to admire the thatched roof of the main hall. It’s also a good option if you’re trying to avoid crowds.
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