Tenju Garden

One of the best temples in the Northern Higashiyama district, Nanzen-ji Temple is a sprawling Zen paradise surrounded by lush green hills.

[Nanzen-ji Temple]

I’ll always love Nanzen-ji Temple. It’s one of the first temples I ever explored in Kyoto and it opened my eyes to just how magical a proper Japanese temple can be. All the elements are there: the impressive San-Mon gate, the subtle karesansui (dry gravel “Zen”) garden, the expansive main hall, and wide walkways that invite meditative strolling. Best of all, the main complex is surrounded by small but excellent subtemples, each of which is well worth a visit. These include Konchi-in, Nanzen-in, and our personal favorite, the often-overlooked Tenju-an. But, for me, the literal and figurative highpoint on Nanzen-ji is Nanzen Oku-no-in, a secret waterfall grotto about 200 meters up in the hills behind the temple. To get there, walk under the brick aquaduct and take a hard left and follow the little stream (you’ll soon get to a flight of steps that leads up to Oku-no-in. Look above the waterfall and you’ll find a small grotto hidden in a giant boulder that contains several mysterious Buddhist images.

Walking Tour: Nanzen-ji Temple features in our Private Walking Tour of Northern Higashiyama Highlights and Secrets

English address:
86 Fukuchi-cho, Nanzen-ji, Sakyo-ku

Japanese address:
左京区南禅寺福地町86

Opening hours:
8.40am-5pm, last entry 4:40pm March-November
8.40am-4.30pm, last entry 4:10pm December-February

Admission:

Admission to grounds: Free

Hojo garden:
Adults: 500
High school students: 400
Junior high and elementary school students: 300

San-mon gate:
Adults: 500
High school students: 400
Junior high and elementary school students: 300

Non-smoking area: Yes

Nearest Transport:
10min walk from Keage Station, Tozai subway line

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near to Nanzen-ji Temple on Agoda.com.

Telephone: 771-0365

Website: Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Nanzen-ji Temple is located in Kyoto’s Northern Higashiyama district. See our complete list of things to do in Northern Higashiyama, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Is This Place Located?

• Open the Kyoto map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

Kyoto Walking Tour: Northern Higashiyama Highlights and Secrets

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