Enkōji Temple

Unclaimed

4th December Wednesday around 2pm. Beautiful autumn colors. 1000¥ for entry and purchase on the spot. No queue to buy tickets and enter. Place was moderately crowded; but you just need 1 person to block the view so I had to wait awhile. Sun was setting and it was cloudy so the colors were not the best but managed to get some when there was a clear view and sun was hitting the leaves, that was a beautiful shot.

This is a beautiful temple with zen garden. Without the crowd. One of the temple in the north east area of Kyoto. The maple tree are beautiful. There is a bamboo forest inside. And the water fountain with sound Museum display many of the artefacts from the school and teaching here. Bamboo painting, printing press and blocks. The tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu is just behind the temple. There is Zen Meditation activity in this temple and reservation required. Toshogu Shrine and the tomb of Tokugawa Ieyasu On the hill behind the temple is located Toshogu Shrine, and a grave where the teeth of Tokugawa Ieyasu are interred, in accordance with his last will and testament.

Maybe my favorite temple and garden I’ve been to in Kyoto. Just far enough from the famous spots that you will have it mostly to yourself (esp. not in high season). But not so far that you’ll exhaust yourself getting there. It has 2 or 3 gardens, depending on how you divide it: a stunning dry rock garden near the entrance, a moss garden inside, and a bamboo grove directly bordering the moss area (no barrier, thus it could be seen as one unit). You can walk through all of them. The temple is also gorgeous and has many areas where you can sit and gaze for as long as you’d like. I paid ¥800 on March 18th, 2025. It looks like prices may be a bit higher in high seasons such as cherry blossoms or fall colors.

Absolutley fantastic hidden gem of Kyoto. Worth the trek here. Our favourite temple gardens by far. Exquisitely peaceful atmosphere. We stumbled upon the shrine of (THE) Tokugawa Ieyasu!

Gorgeous temple with a call Zen garden, forest walkways, and mountainside views. Fantastic historical pieces and art on display inside. As a tourist, I did not perceive this as a place advertised as a Kyoto must-see. After attending, I think it is. It's not too far from nearby hiking and running trails. Entry fee was 800 yen. It is a very peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of the busier parts of Kyoto