Nanzen Ji Temple Northern Higashiyama

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.

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

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?

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