Kyoto is famous for its beautiful cherry blossom season and autumn leaves, but the season of fresh greenery is also full of Kyoto's charm. The shining green scenery is like a painting, attracting the hearts of tourists. In this article, we will introduce you to spots in Kyoto where the fresh greenery is beautiful. We cover a variety of places, from major tourist spots to hidden gems. Let's create memorable travel experiences while being enveloped in the unique atmosphere of the ancient capital and the vibrant nature of the greenery. 

※The information featured in this article is based on our research conducted in April 2024. Please check the official website or other sources for the latest event information.
※If you purchase or reserve products introduced in this article, a portion of the sales may be returned to FUN! JAPAN

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When is the best time to see the autumn leaves in Kyoto in 2024?

The autumn leaves is greatly influenced by temperatures. When the minimum temperature falls below 8°C, the coloring begins, and it progresses rapidly when temperatures reach 5–6°C. Summer temperatures have less impact, but the earlier the temperatures drop in autumn, the sooner the autumn leaves season starts.

In Kyoto, the best time to see the autumn leaves is typically from mid-November to early December. This period is very popular nationwide, attracting many tourists from both Japan and abroad. Since the peak foliage period can be crowded, visiting early in the day will allow for a more leisurely experience.

Recommended spots to see autumn leaves in Kyoto in 2024

Arashiyama, Kyoto Prefecture

Arashiyama, which is famous with many autumn leaves viewing spot, has many must visit attractions such as Togetsu Bridge, Torokko Train, and also the world heritage of Tenryuji where you can spend whole day for autumn leaves viewing. Also, during "Arashiyama Momiji Festival", many ships such as Imayou ship and Tenryuji ship are floating on Ooi River, which create the picture of the dynasty drawing. The best timing to view autumn leaves here is from end November until early December.

Spot information

• Sightseeing spot name: Arashiyama (嵐山)
• Street address: Arashiyama, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access:
• by using JR: Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Saga Arashiyama Station;
• By using Kei Fuku Arashiyama Line: To get off at Arashiyama Station;
• By using Hankyu Arashiyama Line: To get off at Arashiyama Station, and the destination will be in walking distance from Arashiyama station

Top 7 recommended autumn leaves viewing spot ~ West Japan edition

Eikando Zenrinji, Kyoto Prefecture

Eikando Zenrinji is known as “Momiji’s Eikando”, an old temple with a history of more than thousand years. Approximately 3,000 autumn leaves tree in Ikeizumi Kaiyushikiteien, and colorize Tahotou and Goeido, etc. Furthermore, the scenery of illuminated landscape during "Autumnal Exhibition" is worth viewing. The best period to view autumn leaves is from mid-November until end November.

Spot information

• Sightseeing spot name: Eikando Zenrinji (永観堂禅林寺)
• Street address: 48, Eikando-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto-shi
• Access:
• by using Kyoto municipal bus: approximately 3 minutes on foot from Nanzenji Eikendo road,
• by using Kyoto municipal subway: approximately 15 minutes on foot from Kegami station

Top 7 recommended autumn leaves viewing spot ~ West Japan edition

About Tenryu-ji Temple Garden, the Sogenchi Teien

The Tenryu-ji Garden, officially called the Sogenchi Garden, is Japan’s first designated historical and scenic location. White ponds and waterfalls sit beautifully along the garden path with the magnificent nature of Arashiyama and Kameyama in the background. The highlight is Ryumon Waterfall, which has two huge rocks in front of the center of the Sogenchi Pond. It follows China's "Toryumon" legend in which only a carp that can swim up the falls of the Yellow River can become a dragon.

Tenryuji Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto

Sagano Line Heritage Railway Train - Sagano Scenic Railway

Fall in Kyoto's Hozukyō is one that is famous across the whole of Japan, just hearing the name reminds people of fall! This is a leisurely ride with an average speed of 25km p/h that allows you to fully enjoy the surrounding scenery. The 7.3km span when you're running across Hozukyō's valley is filled with amazing sights you cannot afford to miss. For locations where the sights are truly beautiful, the train will slow down allowing you to take in the full sight as well as maybe take some commemorative pictures to show friends and family back home! These are some memories that can only be had by people riding on heritage railway trains.

Information

• Location：Torokko Saga Sta.～Torokko Kameoka Sta.
• Access：Use public transportation to reach Torokko Saga Sta. then ride the train from there
• Season Timing：Middle of nov - the start of Dec

See the Beautiful Scenery of Fall from your Train Window - A Journey on Local Train Lines

About the Charm of Kyoto in Fresh Greenery

In Japan, the season of fresh greenery usually arrives around May, from spring to early summer. Kyoto is famous for its autumn leaves, but during this time, you can enjoy the "green maple leaves". In various places in Kyoto, the greenery, including the green maple leaves, shines vividly, captivating the visitors. In famous temples and gardens, trees with young leaves harmonize with old buildings, creating a fantastical landscape. Also, in city parks and along rivers, you can feel the breath of nature. The season of fresh greenery is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery where Kyoto's history and nature harmonize.  

Places to see fresh greenery and green maple leaves in Kyoto

① Rurikoin Temple

"Rurikoin", one of the most popular tourist spots in Kyoto. It is usually known as a famous spot for autumn leaves, but its charm is also prominent in the season of fresh greenery. The view from the reading room of Rurikoin is particularly exceptional, with a beautiful green world spreading out as if to draw you in. Looking outside from the study room, the fresh greenery spreads all over, and the beauty of the green reflected on the desk and floor further evokes emotion. 

You should not miss the garden of Rurikoin, "Ruri no Niwa". The garden, surrounded by greenery, is filled with tranquility and beauty, healing the hearts of those who visit. Normally, special openings are held only in spring and autumn, but now the "Summer Special Visit" has started, and you can also enjoy the beauty of fresh greenery.

Visitation Information for 2024

• Spring Special Visit 2024: Scheduled for April 13 (Sat) - June 16 (Sun)
• Summer Special Visit 2024: Scheduled for July 13 (Sat) - August 18 (Sun)

※No reservation is required, so please come directly.

Rurikoin

• Address: 55 Kamitakano Higashiyama, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access:

From JR "Kyoto Station" → About 10 minutes walk from Kyoto Bus No. 17 "Yase Station" bus stop

From Eizan Main Line "Demachiyanagi Station" → About 13 minutes walk from "Yase-Hieizanguchi Station"

• Visiting hours: 10:00 - 17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
• Admission fee: Adults 2,000 yen, Children 1,000 yen, Elementary school students and preschoolers are free
• Official website: https://rurikoin.komyoji.com/ 

[In-depth one-day trip to Kyoto] Arashiyama & Rurikoin Temple & Kiyomizudera Temple

② Giou-ji Temple

The "Giou-ji Temple" that appears in the Japanese military tale "The Tale of the Heike". It is located in an area called Okusaga, about a 30-minute walk from the Togetsu Bridge in Arashiyama. The garden of Giou-ji Temple allows you to enjoy beautiful scenery that changes with each season, but the peak of fresh green moss and green maple leaves is particularly breathtaking. In summer, the sight of moss of different shades spreading all over is enchanting, as if a green carpet has been laid out, captivating the visitors. Various types of moss grow thickly, and the beauty of their colors and forms makes your heart leap. The garden where the moss carpet spreads gives you a sense of wandering into a fantastical world. 

One of the charms of Giou-ji Temple is the Yoshino window that changes with each season. The large round window in the waiting room of the grass hut, known as the Yoshino window, allows the sunlight to filter through the green leaves of the temple grounds, casting beautiful colors on the shoji screens. The view from this window, often referred to as the "rainbow window", exudes a mysterious charm to its visitors.

Visitation Information for 2024

No special viewings during the period. Free viewing is possible during the visitation hours.

Giou-ji Temple

• Address: 32 Kosaka-cho, Sagatoriimoto, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
• Get off at "Saga Arashiyama Station" on the JR Sagano Line from "Kyoto Station", about 25 minutes on foot
• Get off at "Arashiyama Station" on the Keifuku Electric Railway, about 25 minutes on foot
• From "Kyoto Station" on JR, about 17 minutes on foot from the city bus No. 28 "Saga Elementary School" bus stop
• Visitation hours: 9:00～16:30 (Last admission)※You can visit until 16:50.
  
• Admission fee: Adults 300 yen, Children (elementary, junior high, and high school students) 100 yen
  
• Official website: https://www.giouji.or.jp/ 

③ Tofukuji Temple

Tofukuji Temple is known as a famous spot for autumn leaves, but the beauty of the fresh greenery in the spring is also exceptional. On the Tsutenbashi Bridge, which spans the temple grounds, you can enjoy the fresh greenery of the green maple trees in the summer. The valley, dyed in a single color of green with about 2,000 trees such as Japanese maple and sugar maple, takes your breath away with its beauty. 

The special viewing of the fresh green leaves, called "Shinryoku Yūgyō," held every May, is surprisingly quiet at Tofukuji Temple. During this time, the Tsutenbashi Bridge, as seen from the Gaunkyo Bridge, is enveloped in a sea of fresh greenery. As you step into the temple grounds, after enjoying the fresh greenery while walking on the Tsutenbashi Bridge, you descend the stone steps to a spacious garden. The trees are lush and the babbling of the river provides a soothing comfort in the quiet space. Tofukuji Temple offers the beauty of nature that changes with each season to its visitors.

Visiting Information for 2024

The "Shinryoku Yūgyō" is scheduled to be held in early May 2024. The latest information can be confirmed from the official website.

Tofukuji Temple

• Address: 15-778 Honmachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access: 10-minute walk from JR or Keihan "Tofukuji Station"
• Visiting hours: 9:00～16:00 (Last admission at 16:00)
• Admission fee:
• The Tofukuji Honbo Garden (Hojo) is 500 yen for adults and 300 yen for children
• The Tengen Bridge and Kaizan Hall are 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children
• The common admission ticket is 1000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children
  *The above prices are for the period from April to October
  *As the visiting hours and admission fees change depending on the season, please check the details on the official website.
• Official website: https://tofukuji.jp/
  

④ Arashiyama Yusai-tei

Located in Arashiyama, "Yusai-tei" is a special space where historical culture and nature harmonize. This place, enveloped in the fresh greenery of Arashiyama and the jade color of the Katsura River, has been a summer retreat since 1,200 years ago. Yusaitei is a Meiji-era building that is 150 years old, formerly known as the ryokan "Chidori", and was a place of longing for Kyoto's maiko and geiko. 

At "Yusai-tei", you can fully enjoy the beautiful scenery of Japan that changes with each season. From the round window, you can overlook Arashiyama and the Katsura River shining in jade color, and the fresh green scenery is reflected in the water mirror of the garden. Visitors can create and enjoy original water patterns with brush play while feeling nature. Please enjoy the unique spatial beauty at Yusaitei, where the history and nature of Kyoto live.

Arashiyama Yusai-tei

• Address: 6 Sagakamenoocho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
• Access:
• 10 minutes walk from "Arashiyama Station" on the Keifuku Electric Railway (Randen)
• 20 minutes walk from "Saga-Arashiyama Station" on the JR Sagano Line from "Kyoto Station"
• 20 minutes walk from "Arashiyama Station" on the Hankyu Line
• Visiting hours: 10:00〜17:00
  ※Please note that it changes depending on the season, so please check the official website.
• Admission fee: 2000 yen
• Official website: https://yusai.kyoto/ 
  

⑤ Otagi Nenbutsu-ji

The "Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple", which appeared in the ending of the anime "Rurouni Kenshin", is located deep in Arashiyama and Sagano and is a popular spot for foreign tourists. According to the temple, it also appears in "Spirited Away" and "The Boy and the Beast". This temple is also known as the "Temple of 1,200 Rakan", and there are 1,200 Rakan statues on the temple grounds. Especially in the fresh green season, the Rakan statues show a lush appearance with the flourishing moss. This is truly a natural sight, providing a pleasant healing to those who visit. If you walk around the temple grounds, you will see a landscape woven by moss and green maple, where you can feel the breath of nature. 

Also, within the precincts, the flowers of Shaga (Iris japonica) are blooming among the green maple trees. Shaga is a plant of the Iris family, and its white flowers are beautiful, adding color to the temple's landscape along with the fresh greenery. Those who visit will surely find healing and inspiration in the beautiful nature and flowers of Atago Nenbutsu-ji Temple.

Visitation Information for 2024

No special viewings during the period. Free viewing is possible during the visitation hours.

Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple

• Address: 2-5 Sagatoriimoto Fukatanicho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
• Access:
• About 5 minutes by taxi from the north exit of JR "Saga Arashiyama Station"
• Change at city bus No. 28 "Arashiyama Park" from JR "Kyoto Station" → Get off at route 94 "Otagi-ji Mae"
• Visiting hours: 9:00-16:15
• Closed: Every Wednesday from January 1, 2025 (open on public holidays)
• Admission fee: 400 yen (free for elementary and junior high school students) 
  ※From January 1, 2025, the admission fee will be changed to 500 yen.
  
• Official website: https://www.otagiji.com/

⑥ Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

The "Bamboo Grove Path" in the heart of Arashiyama, along with the Togetsukyo Bridge, captivates visitors. In the area where tall bamboo grows densely, a promenade of about 400m is set up, allowing you to enjoy a stroll through the bamboo forest. The refreshing greenery that spreads throughout the area and the presence of the bamboo covering the sky are overwhelming. The greenery continues throughout the year, and you can see its graceful figure no matter what season you visit. Especially in May, the green of the bamboo catches your eye. The bamboo that stretches high into the sky envelops the path like a tunnel. If you want to take a quiet stroll, a rickshaw is recommended. There is a path exclusively for rickshaws, allowing you to enjoy while avoiding the crowd.

Bamboo Grove Path (Komichi)

• Address: Sagatenryuji Muginobanbacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City
• Access:
• Get off at "Arashiyama Station" on the Keifuku Electric Railway (Randen) and walk for 10 minutes
• From JR Sagano Line "Kyoto Station" to "Saga Arashiyama Station", 13 minutes on foot
• From Hankyu "Arashiyama Station", 21 minutes on foot
• Kyoto Arashiyama Rickshaw Tour｜Japan
  
•  [MOCOMOCO Arashiyama Main Store] Kimono Rental Mokomoko Plan (Kyoto Arashiyama/Kimono Rental)
  
• Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Garden Half Day Walking Tour

⑦ Enkouji Temple

"Jugyu no Niwa" at Enkouji Temple is particularly attractive during the beautiful fresh green season. Usually, Enkouji Temple is famous as a spot for autumn leaves, and it is crowded with many tourists during the autumn leaves season. However, if you visit in the summer, you can enjoy the garden at a leisurely pace in a quiet atmosphere.

The charm of Enkouji Temple lies in the fact that you can freely stroll through its garden. You can feel the entire garden up close, an experience that cannot be savored just by sitting and looking. Such an experience is rare even in Kyoto. As you walk along the garden path, you can see many maple trees around you, and you can feel the space surrounded by the beauty of nature. Especially during the fresh green season, the youthful greenery will delight your eyes and heal the hearts of visitors. 

Enkouji Temple

• Address: 13 Ichijoji Kotanicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
• Access:
• From JR "Kyoto Station" → About 7 minutes walk from bus stop "Ichijoji Shimomatsucho" on Route 5
• Get off at "Demachiyanagi" on the Keihan Electric Railway, transfer to the Eizan Electric Railway, get off at "Ichijoji", about 17 minutes on foot
• Visiting hours: 9:00 to 17:00
• Admission fee: Adults (600 yen), High school / Middle / Elementary school students (300 yen)
  ※Please note that visiting hours and admission fees may change depending on the season. Please check the official website for details.
• Official website: https://www.enkouji.jp/ 

Recommended one-day course to enjoy the fresh greenery of Kyoto

If you want to visit multiple places in one day, it is recommended to plan ahead and purchase a value ticket for Kyoto. Also, if you plan to visit other prefectures in the Kansai area, the "KANSAI RAILWAY PASS" is convenient.

• Information on value tickets in Kyoto: https://kyoto.travel/en/info/transportation/in_Kyoto.html
• Activities you can experience in Kyoto
• 【kkday】KANSAI RAILWAY PASS 2-Day & 3-Day Pass | E-ticket
• 【klook】Kansai Railway Pass

Recommended Course ①: Arashiyama Bamboo Grove → Yuzai-tei → Gio-ji Temple → Atago Nenbutsu-ji Temple

Early in the morning, head to the small path of the Arashiyama bamboo grove. Enjoy a refreshing experience walking through the fresh greenery while strolling through the bamboo grove. From there, it's a walking distance to Yusai-tei. Along the way, there are restaurants and souvenir shops where you can grab a light meal.

After visiting Yusai-tei, head to Gio-ji Temple next. Take the city bus number 11 at the Arashiyama bus stop and get off at the "Saga Elementary School" bus stop. From there, it's about a 17-minute walk to Gio-ji Temple.

After visiting Gio-ji Temple, you can walk to Atago Nenbutsu-ji Temple. It's about a 20-minute distance.

Recommended Course ② Rurikoin → Enkouji → Tofukuji 

After enjoying the beautiful fresh greenery in the garden of Rurikoin early in the morning, head to Enkouji. To get from Rurikoin to Enkouji, take the Eizan Electric Railway from "Yase-Hieizanguchi Station" to "Ichijoji Station". From there, it's about a 17-minute walk to Enkouji.

Finally, head to Tofukuji. Walk back to "Ichijoji Station" from Enkouji and take the Eizan Electric Railway to "Demachiyanagi Station". Transfer to the Keihan Electric Railway at "Demachiyanagi Station". After getting off at "Tofukuji Station", it's about a 6-minute walk to Tofukuji.

When you visit Kyoto in the fresh green season, you will see a landscape where history and nature are beautifully harmonized. You can enjoy the fresh greenery while strolling through the quiet garden, and by touching the historical buildings and culture, you can taste the unique atmosphere of Kyoto. Please visit Kyoto in the fresh green season and fully enjoy its beautiful scenery and rich culture.