Kyoto is one of Japan’s most beautiful cities. Kyoto is historical, cultural, and the most popular city to visit within Japan after Tokyo. But what makes Kyoto so popular amongst the tourists both within and beyond Japan? Is it the food? The nature? Or the temples and historical buildings such as Nijo Castle and Kyoto Imperial Palace. My guess is the latter. This cultural capital has many hidden and lesser known temples that are tucked away in neighborhoods, located in mountainous areas, or in places that are more difficult to get to. These 5 lesser known temples in Kyoto offer visitors a chance to escape the busy crowds at some of the more popular temples in Kyoto and offer a more authentic Kyoto experience.
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I’ve been to Kyoto twice now and mainly seek out the temples I missed from the time before. I’ve seen hundreds of temples throughout Japan yet visiting them never gets old. There are over 2000 temples and shrines found in and around Kyoto. There are the popular ones like Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, and Higashiyama Jisho-ji. I’ve visited these temples on my first trip to Kyoto. These temples are spectacular and a must visit when in Kyoto. But we’ve discovered temples in Kyoto that are fascinating and blew us away that aren’t mentioned in your traditional guidebooks. Here are 5 lesser-known temples in Kyoto that don’t get as much attention but definitely should be included on everyone’s Kyoto itinerary.
1. Adashino Nenbutsu-ji
A short walk from Arashiyama is Adashino Nembutsu-ji⛩. Adashino Nembutsu-ji was one of the more surprising lesser known temples in Kyoto and one temple I highly recommend visiting in Kyoto, especially if in the Arashiyama area.
The name Adashino comes from the name of the place the temple is located at. In Ancient Kyoto, the dead were buried in the Adashino area by a Buddhist monk named Kukai. Because of the burials that took place at the temple, the site became a sacred center of learning and teaching for a sect of Buddhism known as Amida Buddha.
There are two features that belong to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji that make this temple a hidden gem in Kyoto.
First is the 8,000 Buddha statues at the temple. These Buddha statues were originally placed at the temple as grave stones for people from the Heian period until the Edo period (793-1868). Most of these Buddha statues are placed in a center location that is walled with a tall pagoda statue. Visitors can walk inside the wall area but photography is prohibited.
The next surprising feature at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji is the bamboo forest associated with the temple leading to a cemetery at the top of a hill. I feel the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest in Arashiyama is overrated simply because it’s small and packed with tourists. I mean you can’t get a photo here without a hundred people in your photo. I did get lucky and visited the bamboo forest during the Covid-19 pandemic and had the forest to myself, but that is in the past and it remains one of Kyoto’s most popular sites. As an alternative, the bamboo forest at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji is almost identical to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We were blown away by the similarities of the bamboo forests and curious as to why the bamboo forest at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji had so little visitors. We weren’t complaining.
Because of the 8,000 Buddha statues and bamboo forest at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, this temple might be my #1 recommended lesser known temple in Kyoto.
Admission and Hours
Admission
Adults – ¥500
Hours
March – November 9:00 – 16:30
December – February 9:00 – 15:30
2. Chion-in
Chion-in ⛩ is a massive temple complex in the heart of Kyoto. I feel like this is one of Kyoto’s hidden gems but it shouldn’t be. Chion-in is right by Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park. Yet, I never see Chion-in in any guide books or mentions of it. In fact, the first time I went to Tokyo, I rode my bike right past this temple without even noticing it. It wasn’t until our last trip to Kyoto walking to Nanzen-ji where Jill and I decided to check out Chion-in.
Since 1523, Chion-in has been the head temple of the Jodo Shu or Pure Land Sect of Buddhism. The founder of Jodo Shu, Honen was a religious reformer and spread teachings of Jodo Shu at the site of Chion-in. He died in the year 1212 at the temple. For more information on the history of Chion-in, I recommend visiting the Chion-in website.
Saying this temple complex is huge is an understatement. Visitors can literally spend a half day at Chion-in alone. In all honesty, this temple complex deserves several hours to explore.
When visiting Chion-in, you can’t help but notice the Sanmon (Main Gate). The Sanmon is a masterpiece and a behemoth of a structure. This gate was constructed in 1621 and is considered one of the largest double gates in the country of Japan. Mieido, is another stunning building within the Chion-in complex. Mieido is considered the main hall of Jodo Shu and is home to the sacred image of the founder, Honen. The inside of Mieido is gorgeous but one of the more interesting features of this hall is the Wasuregasa “Forgotten Umbrella.”
Unaware of what I was looking for, I suddenly felt someone poke me on the stomach, followed by another poke. There was a group of elderly Japanese women that kept poking me and trying to point out the Wasuregasa. After several attempts of trying to locate it with the help of the sweet ladies, I finally saw the umbrella stuck under the roof of the front of Mieido. I still don’t really know the history or anything about the umbrella, but it’s a fun aspect of the temple, so when visiting the Mieido at Chion-in, don’t forget to look up!
Don’t forget to check out the Daishoro or Great Bell Tower. It is one of Japan’s 3 great bells and weighs around 70 tons!
At the time we visited Chion-in around the holidays, there was an illumination going on during the evening and night hours. On a whim, we decided to come back the following day at night to see the illumination and it was fun to see Chion-in lit up with festive lights.
Admission and Hours
Admission
Free of Charge to visit the Temple Complex. There is a fee to visit Hojo and Yuzen Gardens.
Adults – Yuzen Garden ¥300, Hojo Garden ¥400, Both Gardens ¥500
Children – Yuzen Garden ¥150, Hojo Garden ¥200, Both Gardens ¥250
Hours
9:00 – 15:50, Gates close at 16:30.
3. Nanzen-ji
Nanzen-ji is a temple in Kyoto I actually had marked for a future visit. Honestly, this temple complex was pretty busy mainly with native Japanese during the autumn season. Even though Nanzen-ji was busy, I’ve never seen photos or heard of it. Nanzen-ji doesn’t get nowhere near as much recognition as other temples like Kinkaku-ji or Fushimi Inari Taisha.
Nanzen-ji is farther out from Kyoto’s center. It is located in the Higashiyama area. This Buddhist temple is a massive complex with an impressive Sanmon (main gate), aqueduct, and Hojo (Abbot’s Quarters).
The aqueduct at the temple is something I haven’t seen before in Japan. It was constructed at the site during the Meiji Period to transport water from nearby Lake Biwa to Kyoto.
One of our favorite parts of Nanzen-ji was Tenju-an Temple and its gardens. The gardens here especially during the fall season are some of the prettiest we’ve seen while traveling around Japan. The gardens were beautiful and the fall foliage was brilliant. There is a pond here with magnificent views.
Admission and Hours
Admission
¥500 to access Hojo and enter Sanmon.
¥500 to visit Tenju-an Temple and the gardens
Hours
March – November 8:40 – 17:00 December – February 8:40 – 16:30
4. Ninna-ji
Ninna-ji ⛩ is considered one of Kyoto’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites and it isn’t far from the famous Kinkaku-ji, Golden Temple.
Ninna-ji was founded in the year 888 AD. According to information read at the site, Ninna-ji is the headquarters of the Omuro School for the Buddhism sect of Shingon.
When first visiting Ninna-ji visitors will notice the Nio-mon Gate and the Five-Storied Pagoda. One of my favorite buildings at Ninna-ji is Miei-do. When we visited this temple, flowers were in full bloom, it was just beautiful.
The grounds of the temple complex are free to roam. Visitors can walk through Nio -mon Gate, see the Five-Storied Pagoda for free.
There is one section of Ninna-ji that does charge an admission fee. At ¥800, I found it to be a bit pricey but glad I paid the admission and visited the Goten Palace and Gardens. Entrance fee includes the Entry Hall, Imperial Gate, Shiro-shoin, Shinden Dantei and Hokutei Gardens, Shinden, Kuro-shoin, and Reimeiden.
Admission and Hours
Admission
¥800 for Adults
Hours
9:00 – 17:00 (March – November) and 9:00 – 16:30 (December – February)
5. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
If you are looking for a unique thing to do in Kyoto and want to visit a hidden gem, I recommend a visit to Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji might be one of the more unique Buddhist temples in Kyoto.
This site has a long history with the first temple being built here in the year 766. Unfortunately, the original temple was a victim of a major flood. About 150-200 years later, a new temple was constructed at the site of Otagi Nenbutsu-ji. Due to a series of unfortunate events such as civil war, typhoons, and other natural disasters, this temple was wiped out again and again. After being rebuilt several times throughout history, Otagi Nenbutsu-ji stands today and can be enjoyed by all.
What makes this temple truly unique compared to other temples around Kyoto are the 1,200 rakan stone statues. Rakan are followers of Buddha that have been created by people taking a pilgrimage to learn the proper carving techniques of these statues taught by Kocho Nishimura, who was a sculpture. Each rakan is different, some are serious while others are comical in ways.
Admission and Hours
Admission
¥300 for Adults
Hours
8:00 – 16:30
Conclusion: Exploring Kyoto's Lesser-Known Temples
With thousands of temples and shrines in and around Kyoto, it can be a daunting task trying to pick and choose which ones to visit. There are the main temples and shrines like Heian, Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, and Fushimi Inari Taisha that are on everyone’s Kyoto bucket list and they are well worth a visit. But Adashino Nenbutsu-ji, Chion-in, Nanzen-ji, Ninna-ji, and OTagi Nenbutsu-ji are just as impressive and I feel are highly underrater temples in Kyoto. Maybe it is best that these hidden gems in Kyoto stay just that, hidden or else they will be overrun by tourists which can take from the atmosphere.
Obviously, there are probably many more temples that can be added to this list. But I have yet to see and experience every temple and shrine in Kyoto and honestly will probably never get a chance to. Not because I don’t want to but there are simply to many. Toji is another Buddhist temple that I have not been to. Toji has the tallest wooden pagoda in Japan. I have yet to visit Reneoin Sanjusagen-do which has 1,000 life size statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Reneoin Sanjusagen-do could quite possibly be added to this list in the future. Regardless, of the temple or shrine, they are all unique and beautiful.
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