Overview
Needless to say, Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is a city that attracts people regardless of the four seasons.
Especially during the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons, Kyoto is overflowing with a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
In recent years, the problem of tourism pollution has become apparent, but it’s also true that Kyoto is so beautiful at this time of year.
For more than 30 years, I have been suffering from cedar hay fever in the spring, so autumn is my favorite season.
The beauty of the illuminated temples, shrines and Japanese gardens is breathtaking.
Here, I would like to introduce two temples related to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who unified the nation in the late 16th century.
Kodaiji Temple
After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the temple was built in the early 17th century by Hideyoshi’s legal wife, Kita no Mandokoro or Nene, to pray for his soul.
It’s said that at the time of construction, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo shogunate, who took power from the Toyotomi clan, provided a large amount of financial support due to political considerations at the time. Therefore, the temple view was so magnificent.
In addition to being a Zen Buddhist temple, the temple has the character of a mausoleum dedicated to Hideyoshi and Nene. It was the first temple in Kyoto to start offering nighttime visits.
Basic information about Kodaiji Temple
| Access | About a 15-minute walk from Keihan Railway “Gion Shijo” Station |
| Visiting Hours | 9:00 am ～ 5:30 pm 5:00 pm ～ 10:00 pm during the period of special nighttime viewing |
| Admission Fees | Adults: 600 JPY Junior high and high school students: 250 JPY |
Daigoji Temple
The temple has a vast precinct on Mt. Kasatori, which spreads southeast of Kyoto, and has a collection of about 150,000 temple treasures, including national treasures and important cultural properties.
It is registered as a World Heritage site as a “Cultural Property of the Ancient City of Kyoto”. It’s also known as the place where Hideyoshi’s “Daigo’s cherry blossom viewing” was held.
Although it did not materialize due to two expeditions to Korea, it’s not well known that Hideyoshi planned to enjoy seeing autumn foliage at the temple in the fall. I’ve never visited the temple during the cherry blossom season, but I’m sure it’s not strange to call it “Daigo’s autumn leaves”.
Basic information about Daigoji Temple
| Access | About a 13-minute walk from Daigo Station on the Tozai Subway Line |
| Visiting Hours | 9:00 am ～ 5:00 pm during Summer (March 1 to the first Sunday of December) 9:00 am ～ 4:30 pm during Winter (From the day after the first Sunday of December to the end of February) 6:00 pm ～ 8:50 pm during the period of special nighttime viewing |
| Admission Fees | ≪Common tickets during the regular period≫ Adults: 1,000 JPY Junior high and high school students: 700 JPY |
How beautiful without autumn leaves …
I love the harmony between nature and man-made objects, so I like to take illuminated photos of trees, flowers, and gardens in temples and shrines. However, in fact, the most beautiful photographs of Kyoto for me are the traditional cityscapes lit up, which do not necessarily require nature. You can feel with nostalgia the profound history of this city, which has been the political and cultural center of Japan for more than 1,000 years.
Pagoda of Yasaka
Pagoda of Yasaka
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