My top 3 places for Autumn Foliage in Kyoto

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Kyoto is beautiful especially popular to tourists in Autumn. The red and orange autumn leaves makes it even more picturesque.

My top 3 places for autumn foliage in Kyoto are:

1.   Kiyomizu Dera

















Famous for it’s platform, the Kiyomizu Dera is a must see Buddhist temple in Kyoto especially in Spring and Autumn. There is special night time viewing with illumination in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn. The Special Night Viewing for this fall starts at 5:30 – 9:00 PM on the 12th of November to 4th of December.

Belfry

 You’ll climb several stairs to reach the main hall and Kiyomizu Stage. First you’ll enter through the 2 storey main gate called Nio-mon. On the right side of the 2nd stairs is the Sai-Mon or west gate. While climbing the 2nd stairs, the belfry will be on your left. You will then reach a flat area where you’ll find the building that has Shinto and Budhhist deities for matchmaking and for safe delivery and child rearing. A 3 storey Pagoda will be on your right. The ticket booth for entry to the main hall will be on the right side near a plum tree.


The Kiyomizu Dera was  built in 778AD. It enshrines the god of mercy, Kannon in the Main hall and Daizuihi Bodhisavatta in the Zui-Gu Hall. The current structures were built in 1633 . The Hon-do Main Hall which features the Kiyomuzu Stage was built using traditional Japanese construction methods without a single nail. The stage is about 4-storey high or 13 meters and is supported by 400 year old Zelkova trees. 
To get a good picture of the main hall you can take it from the Oku-no hall. You’ll have to exit the main hall then walk to the right to reach it. To go to the Otawa waterfalls and to see the main hall from the ground, take the stairs going down as you exit the main hall. Keep your ticket on you if you plan to enter in and out of the Hon-do or main hall. You can take the sloped walkway on the way back. It’s can be quite tiring but worth the view on the top.



The temple is on the steep cliff of Mt. Otawa and features the Otawa No Taki or the Otawa waterfalls whose pureness of water is belived to be good for purification and  for wishes. 


The main feature is a fountain that has 3 streams: one for long life, success in school, and luck in love. You’ll have to drink from just one as it is considered unlucky to drink from all. But according to their website, visitors catch each streams of water to pray for purification and for your wishes to be granted.




There are many stores for food and souvenirs as you approach the main entry to the temple grounds.
Emas & the Pagoda


 There is a path for those on wheelchairs or with strollers you can use. Their website has the route map.

I’m looking forward to seeing the Kiyomizu Dera next month against the fall foliage. These photos were taken late spring of this year.

How to get there: From Kiyomizu Gojo Station, it will take you about 25-30 minutes of walking. Half of which is on the main road, and the latter half an uphill walk. You can also take the bus from JR Kyoto Station  Get on No.206 bus bound for Kitaoji bus terminal via Higasihama-dori or No.100 bound for Ginkaku-ji via Kiyomizu-dera Gion. Get off at Gojozaka stop and walk uphill for 10 minutes.

Map of Temple Grounds with English Names
(located after exiting the Main Hall near the stairs going down) 


Website: http://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/
Entrance Fee: Y300
Nearest Train Station: Kiyomizu- Gojo Station, Exit 4 walk up the main road, then cross the intersection to a smaller road uphill. Then continue walking uphill until you reach the stores before the temple.  

City Bus: From JR Kyoto Station: Get on No.206 bus bound for Kitaoji bus terminal via Higasihama-dori or No.100 bound for Ginkaku-ji via Kiyomizu-dera Gion. Get off at Gojozaka stop and walk east 10 minutes.
Bus Stop at JR Kyoto Station
Bus Stop at JR Kyoto Station
Hours of Operation: 6:00 AM — 5:30 PM
Spring & Autumn Illumination: 5:30 PM — 9:00 PM

 Tip: If returning to Kyoto Station by bus, you can also take other buses. there is a route indicator where the buses that stop are on their route. Best to see if the bus is on its return trip to the station. We hadn't notice and ended up wasting almost an hour riding the entire bus route. 



2.   Tofukuji Temple
Photo from the Tsutenkyo bridge

The Tofukuji Temple is a popular place to view the Koyo or autumn leaves. It is usually full of people admiring the view. It is Kyoto’s oldest and largest temple. The view from the Tsutenkyo bridge is beautiful. You can explore the grounds that abound with maple trees.








Make sure to visit the Tofuku-ji Temple Honbo garden which is designated as a National Site of Scenic Beauty and the Sammon Gate, a National Treasure. 


To visit the Tofukuji Garden, you’ll need to an entrance of Y400 separate from the Tsutenkyo Bridge. I wasn't able to see the Tofukuji Garden on my last visit. 

How to get there: It’s about a 10 minute walk from the Tofukuji Train Station There are street signs to lead you to the temple you can follow. From the Train Station, exit and turn right and walk on the main road, there are 2 routes: first option is you can turn left under the bridge of the main road. When I visited, most visitors chose this route, you can just follow the road and the people until you reach the temple. The other option I found simpler which I had used on the way back to the station. From the station, turn right and walk to the next corner after the under bridge/roadway, when you turn you’ll see a wooden arch and just go straight to the temple.

Website: http://www.tofukuji.jp/english/index.html
Entrance Fee: admission garden ¥400, Tsūtenkyō bridge ¥400, grounds free
Nearest Train Station: Tofukuji (JR Nara Line or Keihan)
Hours of Operation: 8.30am-4pm

3.   Arashiyama: Bamboo Forest, Togetsukyo Bridge & Nagano Romantic Train

Arashiyama is an area in Kyoto where you can find the beautiful Bamboo Groves Forest, Arashiyama Monkeys, and the Togetsukyo Bridge. There are several train stations in the area and the nearest one would depend on which sight you’d like to see. A good way to explore the area is on a bike or just leisurely walking around. You can spend half to a full day enjoying nature and the beautiful temples here.


NEAREST TRAIN STATION:
Saga Arashiyama – Nagano Romantic Train; 10 min walk to Bamboo Groves
Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line) – 5 min to Togetsukyo Bridge ; 5 min to Bamboo Groves
Arashiyama (Hankyu Arashiyama Line) – near Togetsukyo Bridge & Arashiyma Monkey Park

THE SAGANO SCENIC TRAIN

Tha Sagano Romantic Train is a scenic train that departs from Torokko Saga Station  beside the JR Saga Arashiyama Station. You’ll need to get out of the station and transfer to the Nagano Romantic Train Station. This train doesn't run year round and is especially full during autumn. It’s a great way to lazily see the fall foliage from the slow moving train. It’s advised to reserve tickets early as trips fill up quickly.  You can take the trip one way then take the JR Sagano train from Umahori Station back. It talks about 10 minutes from the Kameoka Station of the Sagano Scenic Railway to JR’s Umahori Station.  Train takes about 25 minutes one-way and 1 hour round trip.

Timetable and updated vacancies for the day’s trains are available on their website.  

Website: http://www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/english.php
Fare: Y620 (Not accept ICOCA/IC or JR PASS)
Nearest Train Station: Saga Arashiyama (JR Sagano Line)
Hours of Operation: 9:00 – 5:00 pm 1st train leaves Saga Torokko at 9:07AM

BAMBOO GROVES 
You can reach the Bamboo Grove forest from the Saga Arashiyama Station after 5-10 minute walk. There is a bicycle rental place near the station if you’d like to explore the area on 2 wheels.

The Arashiyama on the Keifuku Arashiyama line will put you in the middle of the area. You;ll be halfway between the Togetsukyo Bridge and the Bamboo Groves. When you exit to the main road, going right will bring you to the Bamboo Groves. Going towards the left will lead you to the Togetsukyo Bridge.

The Bamboo Groves is open all day and is illuminated from the ground at night. From the main road, turn left when you see the group of food stalls on the corner. The bamboo path will reach a fork in the road- taking the left side will take you to the Tenryuji Temple and more of the Bamboo Groves. The Tenryuji Temple is just a few minutes from the turn. The bamboo grove path will then becomes uphill.

If you go straight, you will reach the train tracks of the Sagano train & JR Sagano line. After the tracks you’ll find the Bamboo Forest Trail. Enjoy the sounds of the bamboo as they sway with the wind as you walk along the trail. The trail is enclosed and you’ll have to walk out where you entered.

Entrance Fee: Free
Nearest Train Station: Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line)
Hours of Operation: Always open





THE TENRYU-JI TEMPLE


One of Kyoto’s Unesco World Heritage Site, the Tenryu-ji is a one of 5 great Zen temples in the city. Its has a strolling pond garden and is beautiful year round. 



Website: http://www.tenryuji.com/en/
Entrance: Tenryu-ji Garden Y500 Garden & Buildings plus Y300
Nearest Train Station : Arashiyama (Keifuku Arashiyama Line)
Hours of Operation: 8:30 am -5:00pm

TOGETSUKYO BRIDGE






This iconic bridge in Arashiyama named literally as “moon crossing”  is a must see especially in autumn. This 155 meters long over the Katsura Bridge was reconstructed in 1934.



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