Kyoto Temples Off The Beaten Path

Kyoto is world-renowned for traditional Buddhist architecture and exquisite gardens. Choosing which of the 1400 temples in the city to visit can be challenging, especially since the top dozen locations which pop-up in your online search can be jam-packed with tourists.

Here is a list of off-the-beaten-path temples that are great for photography and give a good feel for this ancient Japanese capital. We’ll go clockwise around the city starting from the northwest to the southeast. Be aware that some of these locations can be more challenging to reach using public transportation. You may need to take buses or taxis. Also, leave your tripod at home. Most (if not all) of the locations ban the use of tripods. They can damage the ground’s surface and generally get in the way of other people, so it’s forbidden to bring them inside many temples.

Kyoto Temple Map

Northwest Kyoto

1. Otagi Nembustuji Temple 

Hidden in the hills in the far northwest corner of the city, this temple is a favorite with photographers. It uniquely features 1200 outdoor statues of the disciples of Buddha, which were carved by amateur artists a few decades ago. Unlike the traditional, stoic Buddhist artwork, the moss-covered rakan statues at Otagi are a celebration of life, whimsy, and devotion. Easily one of the coolest places in Kyoto.

Opening Hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm

How To Get There:

By Taxi: This is the easiest way. Take the JR Sagano Line train to Saga-Arashiyama Station. Go to the taxi stand on the south side of the station and tell the driver “Otagi Nembutusji.” It will cost about ¥1,000.

By Bus: From Saga-Arashiyama Station, walk west 10 minutes to the main street in Arashiyama. From the Nonomiya bus stop take bus #62, 72, 92 or 94 northbound and get off at Otagi Dera Mae bus stop. There are also bus stops in front of Hankyu Arashiyama Station and the Randen Arashiyama Station. 

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2. Adashino Nembutsuji Temple

This is the place to get bamboo photos without the huge crowds of Arashiyama. There is a lovely bamboo grove in the back of the temple area. It is much smaller but infinitely less crowded than the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Forest a mile (1.6 km) away.

This temple is also home to outdoor Buddhist statuary, but for a much different reason than at Otagi. The 8000 memorial statues on the grounds are for people who passed away without family members. While you can take pictures of the statuary, please be respectful and follow the rules wherever there is a “no photography” sign. 

When you leave Adashino, you can keep walking down hill towards the famous Arashiyama. When you get to that bamboo forest and see how crowded it is, you’ll be happy to went to Adashino first.

Opening Hours: 9:00am – 4:30pm

How To Get There: 

This is best visited at the same time as Otagi Nembutsuji (see above). Walk down the hill about 1/4 mile (500m) from Otagi to the Saga Toriimoto Preserved Street. Adashino Nembutusji is about halfway down the street on the right.

Northern Kyoto

 3. Zuiho-in Temple at Daitokuji

If there was only one place I would take a friend who was briefly visiting Kyoto, it would be to Zuiho-in, which is a small Zen temple in the Daitokuji Temple complex. 

It is quiet and has an exquisite Japanese dry garden. Usually, there are very few other people there. While it is a great spot for photos, take time to sit down and take a moment while you are there. The purpose of the garden is to contemplate its forms in silent meditation. If you are lucky, the kind, elderly head priest will sit down with you and teach you how to do zazen meditative breathing.

Make sure to explore the rest of the walled Daitokuji Temple complex which includes many sub-temples and a monastery. While most of these sub-temples are not open to the public, Ryogen-in and Koto-in temples are open year-round, and others have special openings during the spring and autumn months. Daisen-in Temple is also open year-round, but they prohibit photography.

Opening Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm

How To Get There:

By Subway and/or taxi: Take the Kyoto Subway Karasuma Line to Kitaoji Station. Go out the south exit. You can either walk 15 minutes to the west or take a taxi from the taxi stand in front of the station. 

By Bus: You can also catch a bus at the Kitaoji Bus Terminal, which is in the same building as the Kitaoji subway station. Take a westbound bus #101, 102, 204, 205 or 206 going towards Kinkakuji to Daitokuji Mae Bus Stop. 

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Northeast Kyoto

4. Tanuki Dani Fudo-in Temple

This is the elusive “hidden gem” photographers search for. Nestled away in the hills of northeastern Kyoto, Tanuki Dani isn’t particularly spectacular, but it is wonderfully dingy and full of character. You feel miles away from the rest of the bustling city. You’ll be climbing 250 steps up to the temple. Remember, it is the journey, not the destination that matters.

On a historical note, Japan’s greatest swordsman, Miyamoto Mushashi, trained here for a time.

Opening Times: 9:00am – 4:00pm

How To Get There:

By Taxi: This is the easiest way. Get a taxi from in front of Keihan Demachiyanagi Station. Tell the driver “Tanuki Dani.” Take the taxi all of the way up the hill until you get to the bottom of the stairs. It will cost about ¥1,500.

By Bus: Take the eastbound #5 bus 16 stops from Sanjo Keihan Mae bus stop (Stand D) to Ichijoji Sagarimatsucho bus stop. Be aware that it is a long walk up the steep hill from there — about 3/4 a mile (1.2 km), but it seems longer.

By Train: Take the Eizan Line train from Demachiyanagi Station to Ichijoji Station. It is about a 25-minute walk uphill from the station.

Inari After Dusk

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5. Enkoji Temple

This is a wonderful, small Zen temple that has a modern dry garden and an amazing green garden full of Japanese maple trees, as well as a small bamboo grove. It can get crowded during the autumn colors season, especially on weekends. This one of my favorite places in Kyoto!

Opening Times: 9:00am – 5:00pm

How To Get There:

From Tanuki Dani: Simply walk down the hill and take the first right when you get back into the residential neighborhood.

By Bus from Sanjo: Take the eastbound #5 Kyoto City Bus 16 stops from Sanjo Keihan Mae bus stop (Stand D) to Ichijoji Sagarimatsucho bus stop, then walk 10 minutes to the temple.

By Train: Take the Eizan Line train from Demachiyanagi Station to Ichijoji Station. It is about a 15-minute walk from the station.

Eastern Kyoto

6. Tenju-an Temple at Nanzenji

This a sub-temple often overlooked by visitors at the Nanzenji Temple complex. It has both an exquisite dry garden and a Japanese pond in the back, filled with carp. While you can’t enter the temple building itself, the gardens are well worth the effort.

A longer zoom lens is useful when photographing fish the pond, especially in the early summer when the lotus flowers are in bloom.

The rest of the Nanzenji Temple complex is also great to explore. We actually cover these two temples on our Kyoto Zen Temples photo tour.

Opening Times: 9:00am – 5:00pm

How To Get There:

By Subway: Take the Kyoto Subway Tozai Line to Keage Station. Go out Exit 1 and walk 5 minutes to Nanzenji. The entrance to Tenju-an is just south of the giant San-mon Gate.

Kyoto Zen Gardens

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7. Kurodani: Konkai-Komyoji and Shinnyodo Temples

Kurodani is the place to go for the autumn colors, especially if you want to get away from the tourist crowds. It is a sizable hill in the eastern side of the city on which sit the temple complexes of Konkai-Komyoji and Shinnyodo. This is a great area to explore in any season since it is off of the typical tourist route. You can easily spend half of a day here.

If you are lucky in the autumn, you will be able to view the garden of a small sub-temple called Eishoin, which is just north of the main hall of Konkai-Komyoji on the west side of the complex. It has a large statue of Buddha surrounded by Japanese maples. Its beauty always takes my breath away. A kind of a grumpy old guy opens and closes the garden at unpredictable times, so seeing this garden is hit-or-miss.

During the autumn colors season, it is also worth it to pay to see the garden of the main building of Konkai-Komyoji.

As a route, I suggest starting at Okazaki Shrine on Marutamachi Street, then take the stairway on the west side of the shrine to go up the hill to Konkai-Komyoji. You’ll arrive at a giant cemetery. Go to the left over the bridge and explore the area around the main temple and sub-temples. Then come back to the cemetery and climb the hill toward the pagoda. From the pagoda, you can head north towards Shinnyodo. Please be discreet and respectful when photographing in the cemetery.

How to Get There:

By Bus: Take either the eastbound #93 or 204 buses from either Subway Marutamachi Station or Keihan Jingu-Marutamachi Station to the Okazaki Jinjazen bus stop. 

By Taxi: Tell the driver “Kurodani Temple.” They’ll drop you off in front of the main gate of Konkai-Komyoji. (The locals call this temple Kurodani).

Southeast Kyoto

8. Tofukuji Temple 

This is a large Zen temple complex overlooked by most people even though it is close to Fushimi Inari Shrine. With its large gate and central hall, it has a grand feeling. There are two separate paid areas. I highly recommend paying to see Hojo Garden, which is a wonderful dry garden. You can also pay to cross the Tsutenkyo Bridge over a sea of Japanese maple trees to see a couple of sub-temples, but this is best during the autumn season. 

Be warned that Tofukuji is very popular for the autumn colors and the crowds here can be unbelievable in November and early December. I prefer it during the rest of the year.

How to Get There:

By Train: Tofukuji Temple is a 10-minute walk from Tofukuji Station on the JR Nara Line or the Keihan Line. It is also about a 15-minute walk from JR Inari Station in front of Fushimi Inari Shrine.