10 Best Temples in Kyoto

One of the best things to see and do in Kyoto is to visit its magnificent temples, where you can learn about the most traditional Japanese culture, the rich symbolism in each of the buildings, its wonderful gardens and ponds and contemplate its ancient religious rites.

Japanese temples are sacred sites that lend themselves to contemplation, ideal for a quiet walk in nature and to see some of the most impressive representatives of ancient Japanese architecture. Here is a list of the best temples in Kyoto.

Kiyomizudera Temple or Temple of Pure Water is one of the most important temples in Japan and Kyoto. It is located on one of the hills in the Higashiyama district, in a beautiful natural setting. Its name, which means "of pure water", refers to the waters of the Otawa Waterfalls, which fall into a pond at the top of the temple.

Although you cannot enter the temple, you can walk along its famous balcony with reddish wooden columns and enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the city. You can also see the statue of the 11-armed, thousand-faced goddess Kannon. Not to be missed when the cherry blossoms appear in April.

During your visit, you can drink from one of the three jets of the pond, as is the tradition, to receive love, health or abundance. But remember that you can only drink from one, otherwise its effect will be nullified. Around the temple there are some 34 temples, pagodas and halls that you can also visit.

For more information, please visit

• Location: 1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm in January, February, March and December; July to August until 6:30 pm and September to November until 9:00 pm.
• Entrance fee: around €3 per person. Entrance to the other temples or buildings on the grounds may cost extra.
• How to get there: from Kyoto Station you can take a bus to the Gojozaka or Kiyomizu-muchi stops, or a train to Kiyomizu-muchi Station.

Kinkakuji Temple means Temple of the Golden Pavilion. It is located in an area of evergreen forests, lakes and unmissable springs. The temple is a 3-storey tower and its 2 upper floors are covered with very thin sheets of gold (gold leaf), from which it derives its name.

Its golden reflection in the Kyokochi pond is one of the most beautiful postcards of Kyoto. Kinkakuji is noted for its wonderful Zen gardens, ideal for a stroll. Also near the exit there is a teahouse, where you can participate in the ceremony. There are also other temples and shrines nearby.

Although it is not possible to enter the temple, when you open the windows you can see the statues of Buddha and Yoshimitsu inside, especially in spring and summer. It is also charming in autumn and winter, when the leaves change colour or the forest is covered with snow.

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• Location: 1 Kinkakujicho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, Japan.
• Hours: daily from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• Entry fee: around €4 per person.
• How to get there: from Kyoto Station, you can take a bus to the Kinkakuji-cho stop.

Yasaka Shrine is a Shinto temple that began construction in 656, where Susano'o no Mikoto, the god of storms and the sea, is worshipped along with his wife Kushiinada-hime and Yahashira no Mikogami, his eight children. It is one of the temples you cannot leave out of a tour of Kyoto.

The temple is located in the Gion district, which is located in the heart of the city, in a lively area known as the geisha district. The two-storey entrance gate to the compound is very striking and has become an emblem of the Gion district and a favourite place to have your photo taken. As in most temples, you cannot enter the main shrine, which is only accessible to the faithful.

There are other temples in the surrounding area, or subtemples, such as Utsukushii Gozen-sha, a shrine where the faithful take a few drops of water from a fountain, which has the property of beautifying them. In addition, the street leading to the temple is known for being representative of the most traditional in Japan, with its shops selling kimonos, fans and typical sweets, so it is a must on your visit of at least 3 days in Kyoto.

More information about Kyoto

• Location: 625 Gionmachi Kitagawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto.
• Hours: Open all day.
• Entry fee: Free, although booking a tour of Higashiyama in Kyoto starts at €119.
• How to get there: from Kyoto Station you can take a bus to Keihan Gion Shijo Station, which is a 5-minute walk from the temple.

Kodaiji Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple located on one of the hills in the Gion district. Founded in 1605, it was built at the request of Kita no Mandokoro in memory of her late husband who participated in the wars of unification of Japan. Portraits of both are inside the temple, as well as other pieces of cultural significance.

The grounds are noted for its beautiful Zen sand garden with hundreds of cherry trees, bamboo grove and ponds surrounded by maple trees. It is a beautiful place to stroll around both during the day and at night, when the illumination makes it a magical stop. Booking a tour of Higashiyama in Kyoto when the cherry blossoms are in bloom is one of the best ways to see it.

During your visit, you can also visit the Entokuin Temple, the Palm Art Museum and one of its tea houses, where you can take part in a tea ceremony. One of these houses was designed by the renowned tea master, Sen no Rikyu.

For more information, please visit

• Location: 1 Kujocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto.
• Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (last admission at 4:30 pm).
• Admission fee: entrance to the main hall is free.
• How to get there: the bus drops you off about 7 minutes walk from the Higashiyama Yasui stop, and the train about 15 minutes from Keihan Gion Shijo Station.

The Toji Temple or East Temple is the tallest wooden tower in Japan at almost 55 metres high and 5 storeys high. It was built in 826 and is considered an emblem of the city.

During your visit you can visit the Kondo Hall, the Kodo Hall, the Fear Hall and the Jikido Hall. Its ground floor is only open during exhibitions and special dates, which you can check on the temple's website. Near the temple are the Higashi Honganji and Nishi Honganji temples, which you can reach on foot.

During the cherry blossom or Hanami season, you can also visit the temple at night, when it is lit up in a special way. And if you visit the temple on the 21st of the month, you can stroll through the Kobo-san flea market, where you can see traditional clothing and all kinds of collectibles, as well as sample traditional foods that are often part of Kyoto's best food tours.

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• Location: 1 Kujocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto.
• Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (last entrance at 4:30 pm).
• Admission fee: free for Kondo, Kodo, Fear and Jikido Halls.
• How to get there: from Kyoto Station, you can take the Kintetsu line and get off at the next station, Tōji Station.

Sanjusangendo Temple is known as the Temple of a Thousand Statues because of the large number of statues in its main hall: 1,001 statues of the goddess Kannon, 28 of guardian gods and 2 statues of Raijin, the Shinto god of wind and Fujin, the Shinto god of thunder and lightning.

It was founded in 1164 by Taira no Kiyomori and is the longest wooden structure in Japan, 120 metres long. Its austere appearance contrasts with the fabulous statues inside. Among these is the central statue of Kannon, which stands 3.3 metres tall. The statues are made of Hinoki wood and covered with thin gold leaf.

Surrounding the temple are beautiful gardens, two small ponds, a stone monument dedicated to the founder of the Jodo Buddhist sect, a temizu where the purification of hands and mouth with water is performed, and the Kuse Inari Shinto centre.

For further information, please visit

• Location: 657 Sanjusangendomawari, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto.
• Opening hours: from April to mid-November from 8:30am to 5pm and from November to March from 9am to 4pm (last admission half an hour before closing).
• Admission fee: about €4 per person. There is a discount for groups of 25 people.
• How to get there: a 7-minute walk from Shichijo Station or a 10-minute walk from JR Tennoji Station.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Temple is known as the Temple of a Thousand Gates because of the number of orange torii gates leading to the top of the mountain. It is one of the main Shinto temples and one of the oldest temples, dating back to the 8th century.

FushimiInari is mainly dedicated to Inari, the deity of crops, especially rice, who receives thousands of offerings from those who wish to succeed in business. These offerings are the torii gates that can be seen on the path leading to the temple, of which there are about 10,000.

The temple is located on Inariyama Mountain, also known as Inari. It is a beautiful place to walk along the nature trails that lead to other smaller shrines. You can see this temple on your own or in company when you book a Higashiyama tour in Kyoto

More information on Higashiyama Shrine

• Location: 68 Fukakusa Yabunouchicho, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
• Hours: Open 24 hours.
• Admission fee: free of charge.
• How to get there: take a train from Kyoto Station to Inara Station, which is a 5-minute walk from the temple.

The Heian Shrine or Heian Jingu is located in the Higashiyama district so it may also be included when booking a tour of Higashiyama in Kyoto. It is known for the giant torii at the entrance, which is about 24.2 metres high.

The temple is dedicated to Emperor Kammu, the founder of the city, and Emperor Kōmei, who would have laid the foundations of modern Japan. The most important festival held at the temple is the Jidai Matsuri, which is notable for the grand procession from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to the temple. This festival is held in the month of October in Kyoto, on the 22nd.

The main shrine is surrounded by 4 gardens of different styles located in the 4 cardinal directions. These gardens, which occupy about 33,000 square metres, represent a different period of Japanese history. There are flowers in all seasons of the year, even in winter in Kyoto.

More information about the gardens

• Location: 97 Okazaki Nishitennocho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto.
• Opening hours: 6:00 am to 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm, depending on the time of year. The gardens are open from 8am to 4:30pm or 5:30pm. Last admission is half an hour before closing time.
• Entry fee: free, except for the entrance to the gardens which costs around €4 per person.
• How to get there: 10 minutes from Higashi-yama Station.

It is a sub-temple of Shokokuji Temple, whose name is Higashiyama Jishoji, although it is known as Gingakuki which means Temple of the Silver Pavilion. It is a Buddhist temple located in the mountains east of Kyoto, in the Higashiyama district.

Although the shōgun wanted to cover the temple with silver leaf (using the same technique as Kinkakuji Temple), he was unable to achieve this, but the original name was retained. The main building, the Kannonden, is one of the few buildings that has survived fires and earthquakes and has therefore not been rebuilt.

The Togudo Hall is also a structure that has remained intact over time. This hall is recognised as a model for traditional tea rooms, which are one of Kyoto's main cultural experiences. The temple's white sand garden is one of the most photographed in the city. There is also a moss garden where you can take a nice walk in nature.

More information about the temple

• Location: 2 Ginkakujicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto.
• Opening hours: from March to November from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and from December to February from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.
• Entry fee: around €4 per person.
• How to get there: from Kyoto Station you can get there by bus in about 40 minutes.

The Nishi Honganji and Higashi Honganji temples are Buddhist temples located north of Kyoto Station in the southern part of the city. They are some of the main temples of the Jodo Shinshu branch of Buddhism, which is one of the most important in the country. The construction of the temples dates back to the 16th century.

These temples are within walking distance of each other, so it is common to visit them on the same day. The main temple is Nishi Honganji, the first temple to be built, with the Statue of the Founder of the Jodo Shinshu Sect at its main altar. The Higashi Honganji temple was built 11 years later and was inspired by the first one. Its Goeido or Founder's Hall is considered the largest wooden hall in the world.

These temples include colossal 30-metre gates, towers, temizu (ablution fountains), century-old trees, Japanese-style gardens and the interesting symbolism found in all temples in Japan. The 400-year-old Gingko tree at Nishi Honganji Temple is a must-see if you visit Kyoto in autumn.

Nishi Honganji Temple

• Location: Hanayacho-sagaru, Horikawa-dori, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto.
• Hours: November to February from 5:30am to 5pm; in March, April, September and October it closes half an hour later, and from May to August it closes at 6pm. The gardens are open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
• Entry fee: free, except for the gardens which cost around €4 per person.
• How to get there: a 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station.

Higashi Honganji Temple

• Location: Karasuma Shichijo-agaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto.
• Opening hours: from March to October from 5:50am to 5:30pm, and from November to February from 6:20am to 4:30pm.
• Admission fee: free of charge.
• How to get there: 5 minutes walk from Gojo underground station.