[2025 Kyoto Attraction] Travel Guide for Kosanji (Updated May)

The autumn leaves in Kyoto will be at their peak in just over a month. A spot in the mountains where the leaves change color a little more than two weeks earlier than in Kyoto city. Takao is a little over an hour away from the city, but there are few people and you can take your time, so it is highly recommended. The gentle sunlight that shines in at 9am is especially nice. It's like a painting. If you don't like crowds, I recommend you visit Kaohsiung early in the morning, even in Kyoto! ! The peak season is usually the weekend in mid-November, but this year it may be a little later, so please check the autumn leaves forecast. #Domestic travel trip #Kaohsiung #Takaosan Temple #Kyoto #Kyoto sightseeing #Autumn leaves #Autumn leaves spot

●Name Ikōan ●Access 8 Umegahata Toganōchō, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 🚗There is a private parking lot at Kosan-ji Temple ●Points Kōsan-ji Temple is known as the place where tea was first cultivated in Japan Tea spread from here to Uji in Kyoto and then throughout the country Tea seeds brought back from China were passed on to the monk Myōe, who planted and cultivated them in the mountains, and they were found to have the effect of waking up sleep that hinders training, so he recommended them to the monks. Ikōan is a teahouse completed with the generosity of 100 tea masters from all over the country I visited in early October, but the signs of autumn have yet to come The autumn leaves in Kyoto will be at their best from around November 20th to 25th🍁 #AutumnTravel #AutumnLeafSpots

●Name Kosan-ji Temple ●Access 〠Umegahata Toganoo-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City 🚗Private parking available ●Points This temple was rebuilt by the monk Myoe and is a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves It has the oldest tea plantation in Japan, Sekisui-in Temple is also famous for possessing many valuable arts and crafts, including the National Treasure Choju Jinbutsu Giga It is also a World Heritage Site and has many sights to see When the leaves turn red, the whole area becomes a place for leaf-viewing, and even the road to the temple is beautifully colored I visited in early October, but the signs of autumn have yet to come The leaves in Kyoto start to change color from around November 20th to 25th 🍁 #Autumn trip #Autumn leaves spots

●Name Takaosan-ji Temple Buddha's Footprint ●Access Kyoto City, Umegahata, Toganao-cho 🚗Private parking available ●Points This Buddha's Footprint is modeled after the footprints of Shakyamuni Buddha and is an object of worship It is engraved with patterns such as the Thousand-Spoked Wheel, Vajra, and Double Fish Myoe Shonin was a person who had a particularly deep love for Shakyamuni Buddha, so it seems that it was made in honor of him It's a small cover that is easy to overlook, so it would be a shame not to notice it, so please come and see it I visited in early October, but the signs of autumn are yet to come The autumn leaves in Kyoto start to change color from around November 20th to 25th 🍁 #Autumn trip #Autumn leaves spots

●Name　　　Tsugao Mountain, Takao-ji Temple ●Access 　　Take JR Bus Takao-Keihoku Line from Kyoto Station for about 50 minutes and get off at Tsuganoo ●Points 　　It is said to be the birthplace of tea in Japan because Eisai brought back Chinese tea seeds and planted them in the mountains. 　　Tsugao-ji Temple, the home of Kitayama cedars, is a place of silence that cannot be compared to the city. 　　It is also famous for the national treasure "Choju Jinbutsu Giga," but the original is kept at the Kyoto National Museum. 　　The autumn leaves in early autumn are amazing 🍁 #Kyoto #Birthplace of tea #Historical sites #World Cultural Heritage 　　 #A trip to enjoy spring

"Kosanji Temple" Today we are introducing Kosanji Temple, an ancient temple located in Toganoo, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City😊 The national treasure Sekisui-in Temple here is said to be the former residence of the monk Myoe Shonin, and has a simple appearance with a shingled roof. In autumn, sitting on the veranda and looking at the mountains and the autumn leaves in the garden is a wonderful and meaningful experience🥹 It is also home to four volumes of the national treasure Choju Giga paintings, making it a treasure trove of cultural assets in Rakusai✨ It is registered as a World Heritage Site as a cultural asset of the ancient capital of Kyoto, so it is a temple worth visiting at least once! ☽︎︎.*·̩͙☽︎︎.*·̩͙*·̩͙☽︎︎.*·̩͙☽︎︎.*·̩͙☽︎︎ⓘⓝⓕⓞ☽︎︎.*·̩͙☽︎︎.*·̩͙☽︎︎.*·̩͙☽︎︎.*·̩͙ 🍁Takayama-ji Temple 📌8 Umegahata Toganoo-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 🚌Get off at "Toganoo" on JR bus, about 5 minutes walk Get off at "Toganoo" on city bus route 8, about 5 minutes walk 𖥧 𖥧 𖧧 ˒˒𖡼.𖤣𖥧 ⠜ 𖥧 𖥧 𖧧˒˒. ⓣⓗⓐⓝⓚ ⓨⓞⓤ 𖥧 𖥧 𖧧 #Kyoto #Kosanji Temple #Autumn leaves #Sekisui-in Temple #World Heritage Site #TripDomestic travel

If you're planning to visit Kansai, Japan for autumn foliage, I highly recommend Kyoto's Takao. There are three temples here: Saimyoji, Jingoji, and Kozanji, all famous for their autumn scenery but not yet crowded with tourists. The three temples are close to each other, but it takes a whole day to explore them thoroughly. 🚌 Take the bus and get off at Takao Station (Google directly navigates to Takao Station), walk a few hundred meters along the road to reach the village, and you can enjoy the autumn scenery and the village along the way. It is said that you can hike to Arashiyama from here, but the route is unknown. 🌉 The suspension bridge is located at the entrance of an old-style hot spring inn called 'Momijiya Bekkan Kawa no Iori'. It's very picturesque 🍁 〒616-8289 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Ukyo Ward, Umegahata Nishinobatacho 💡 The bus from Kyoto Station takes about 1 hour. Since it's in the mountains, the sun sets early, around 4 PM. There are a few mountain restaurants here, so you won't have any problem filling your stomach.

The autumn colors of Kyoto always begin quietly in the mountainous areas in the far suburbs. How to avoid the crowds and enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery? A magical one-day tour route that connects three temples in Kaohsiung, where you can visit ancient temples, enjoy red leaves, and get close to nature. Please check it out! 👇 🍁｜Jingoji Temple｜ The red maple leaves in Kyoto are mostly in temples, and the road leading to Jingoji Temple is full of graceful autumn colors. Mountains, forests, streams, rivers, grass, leaves...are all "painted" with a different kind of beauty. The beautiful autumn colors are embodied at this moment! Climbing up the steps, you will see towering ancient trees and a towering ancient temple hidden among the orange, yellow, tangerine and green colors standing before your eyes. The feeling of sudden enlightenment can only be felt but not expressed in words. Easter eggs: Jinyun River in the valley, the teahouse "Yanshi Pavilion" halfway up the mountain (there is a suspension bridge in the autumn scenery nearby) 🎫Ticket price: 600 yen 🍁｜Ximing Temple｜ It is about a 10-minute walk from Jingoji Temple, crossing the vermilion Shigetsu Bridge, to reach Saimyoji Temple. Different from the solemnity and majesty of Jingo-ji Temple, the courtyard landscaping of Saimyo-ji Temple is exquisite and restrained, with changing scenery as you move around, expressing the graceful and timeless beauty of "still holding the pipa, half covering her face". Easter eggs: the stunning maple scenery at Zhiyue Bridge and the moss-covered stone lanterns 🎫Ticket price: 500 yen 🍁｜Koyama Temple｜ It is most appropriate to describe the artistic conception of Gaoshan Temple with the poem by Wang Wei: "No one is seen in the empty mountain, but the sound of people's voices can be heard. The reflected light enters the deep forest and shines on the moss again." The temple is full of towering ancient trees and winding paths. Ishisui-in, built in the Kamakura period, is the oldest tea garden in Japan and a world cultural heritage. Easter egg: The national treasure of Japan, "Birds, Animals and People Playing Paintings" in the temple 🎫Tickets: 500 yen (during the autumn leaves period) Ishisuin 1000 yen

Attraction Introduction: Kōzan-ji Temple was originally built in 774 and rebuilt by Myōe Shōnin in 1206. The temple's name is derived from the Avatamsaka Sutra, meaning 'the mountain ridge illuminated before sunrise.' The temple is located on Mount Toganoo. Kōzan-ji Temple is one of Kyoto's World Cultural Heritage sites, featuring the Sekisui-in where Myōe Shōnin resided, Japan's first manga 'Chōjū-giga,' and Japan's oldest tea garden, among other national treasures. 🌈 Attraction Highlights: ① National Treasure Sekisui-in: A residential building in the early Kamakura period's shinden-zukuri style. Passing through the tea room and wooden corridor, the first sight is a wooden sculpture of Sudhana. Turning past the side room, you will see the plaque 'The Temple Illuminated Before Sunrise' given by Emperor Toba hanging at the entrance. The main room displays a replica of 'Chōjū-giga,' a statue of Myōe Shōnin in meditation, and a wooden dog sculpture by the master sculptor Unkei. ② Tea Garden: To the left of Sekisui-in is Japan's oldest tea garden. It is said that Zen master Eisai, who studied Zen Buddhism in the Song Dynasty twice, brought back tea seeds to Japan and gave three of them to Myōe Shōnin. After successful cultivation, the tea seedlings were passed down to Uji, making Kōzan-ji Temple famous as the birthplace of tea. ③ 'Chōjū-giga': Divided into four scrolls (A, B, C, D), the most famous is scroll A. The entire scroll vividly depicts animals like rabbits, monkeys, and frogs in anthropomorphic styles. The temple displays high-fidelity replicas of the same size as the originals. 🎟️ Ticket Information: ① Entry to Kōzan-ji Temple is free (500 yen per person during the autumn leaves season), and visiting Sekisui-in requires 1000 yen per person. ② Special visits require a reservation, costing 5000 yen per person (led by a monk to visit normally closed areas like Iko-an and the tea garden, with a souvenir given at the end). 🕐️ Opening Hours: 08:30-17:00 Transportation Guide: ① Take the JR West JR Bus Takao Keihoku Line from the platform at Kyoto Station to the stop, then walk for 5 minutes. ② Take Kyoto City Bus No. 8 from the stop at the Kyoto City Subway Shijo Station to the stop, then walk for 5 minutes. 💗 Other Tips: ① Kōzan-ji Temple is not very large, so visiting only this site might be slightly disappointing. However, you can follow the mountain path signs to continue visiting Saihō-ji Temple and Jingo-ji Temple. These three sites are relatively far from the city center, so plan a full day for a leisurely walk. ② The three temples are located on Mount Takao, and the mountain paths are more challenging than city attractions. You will need to walk and climb stairs, especially at Jingo-ji Temple, where the stairs are numerous, steep, and long. Consider your physical condition when visiting. ③ The three temples are situated at higher elevations, making them the first to see autumn leaves each year. The scenery is stunning, making them ideal for visiting during the autumn leaves season, collectively known as 'Sanbi.'

#SpringGood Places2024 Takayamaji Temple is definitely a great place to visit in spring, and it is a cultural heritage of Kyoto that gives you a great insight into the culture of Kyoto, the way to get here is quite easy, yes Take the Keihan Line from Osaka Umeda Station for about 2 hours to reach Takayamaji Temple, a World Cultural Heritage Site. This temple is simple and quiet, making it a great place to explore ancient oriental culture.

Transportation: From Tokyo Station, take the Nozomi No. 2, 40-minute Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokaido and arrive at Nagoya Station. Then transfer to wide view HIDA No. 11, and arrive at Takayama Station in about 2 hours and 17 minutes. Transportation: Nagoya to Takayama (Train) Bus 2980 yen 160 minutes 6030 yen 130 minutes tourist pass recommended: ice fruit cafe Address: 75 Kataharamachi