10 Amazing Kyoto Temples for Photography
If you ever get the opportunity to visit the amazing city of Kyoto in Japan there’s a very high chance that visiting temples will be on your to-do list! The temples in Kyoto offer tourists and locals a peaceful environment to adore the rich culture of Japan, and buddhist followers a chance to practice their religion. As a photographer I’m drawn to the physical beauty that these places represent. From uniquely shaped buildings to immaculately manicured gardens, here are 10 temples in Kyoto that took my breath away.
Most of the temples on this list are easily accessible by Kyoto’s fantastic public transport system but do be prepared to walk a lot of steps when visiting some of these places. All of these images were taken during an autumn visit to Kyoto in mid-November when the autumn colours were very close to being at their best. The foliage will look different depending on the time of year you visit. Autumn and cherry blossom season offer the most amazing colours at a lot of these temples but keep in mind that means you’ll be amongst crowds so the earlier in the day you can visit places, usually the quieter it will be. Weekdays will also be quieter than the weekends. Some temples don’t permit the use of tripods so be prepared to shoot handheld if you are visiting with your camera gear.
Temples often charge a small fee to enter, the money helps to keep the places up to the amazing standard you see them in below so please pay the required fees when entering and always be mindful of others.
#1Daigo-ji
This list of 10 amazing temples in Kyoto isn’t necessarily sorted in numerical order of my favourites but if I did have to pick one favourite I think Daigo-ji would probably be the pick of the litter. Daigo-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion is Yakushi. The images above and below were photographed towards the rear of the grounds and feature the Bentendo temple which sits next to a small lake and garden. The autumn colour surrounding this little temple was simply stunning in mid-November and this particular temple didn’t quite seem to have the heavy tourist numbers like some of the other temples on this list making getting these photographs a little bit easier than I had anticipated which was nice!
Just off to the right hand side of this bridge was also a nice little waterfall making the whole experience even more tranquil.
#2 Toji
This particular temple is super accessible if you’re staying in central Kyoto. It’s a fairly short walk from the main Kyoto station. The grounds of this temple are quite large and very popular with tourists. This is one of the temples that also offers an illuminated night show during certain times of the year including autumn. If you do plan on visiting for the night show make sure you line up early as there will potentially be very lengthy queues due to its close proximity to the middle of the city.
Tō-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in the Minami-ku ward of Kyoto, Japan and dates back to the year 796.
#3 Ruriko-in
If there’s one place on this list that is simply the most breathtaking but also the most hectic in terms of the number of visitors that would have to be the Ruriko-in Temple. Get there early and be prepared to wait, if there’s a chance to do an earlier private tour I would highly recommend it if possible. There is a reason why this place attracts so many thousands of people through its doors, that is mostly due to people wanting to photograph the image below. An amazing mirrored table reflection of the stunning autumn surrounds. Be patient and hopefully you can get into the same position to take “the shot”.
Had I been given the chance I would’ve loved to have spent more time in this room with the camera put away simply observing and trying to take it all in but with the number of people crammed into such a small space it simply wasn’t possible on the day I visited.
Once you do leave the busy surrounds of the mirrored table room things do get a lot more quaint and peaceful. The gardens in this temple are simply breathtaking, manicured to perfection. Out of all the temples I visited in Japan Ruriko-in would have to have one of the most immaculately manicured gardens of all.
As you walk through the main building there’s many different views out to the stunning gardens that surround it. Sensory overload!
As you make your way out (or in) you’ll see this nice waterfall just down the hill on the river as well which has a small market if you’re feeling hungry or after a souvenir.
#4 Kinkaku-ji (The Golden Pavilion)
This is another location in which you’ll be competing for space with other like-minded tourists so try and get here early. Kinkaku-ji officially named Rokuon-ji, is a Zen Buddhist temple that attracts thousands of tourists annually thanks to its unique golden appearance hence the name-tag, the golden pavilion. This is one of those places that wouldn’t look out of place in an old James Bond film. The lake in front presents the opportunity to photograph the pavilion reflected nicely in the calm water. You might even get to see a rainbow over the pavilion.. can you see it in the photo below?
#5 Ginkaku-ji (The Silver Pavilion)
Wait.. did I mention there’s not only a gold pavilion but also a silver one? Except, it’s not silver. Apparently back in the 15th century Ginkaku-ji was planned to be painted with silver leaf but due to the Ōnin war it was postponed and never applied. What drew me to this particular temple making a feature on this list wasn’t the building itself though but the stunning gardens surrounding it. There was a wealth of rich autumn colour showing as I made my way on the meandering path around the temple grounds.
#6 Otagi Nenbutsu-ji
This temple I think would be a close second for me as a favourite just behind Daigo-ji. It’s a little further out of central Kyoto than most of the temples on this list so visiting it was a very peaceful experience. Otagi Nenbutsu-ji is located on the outskirts of Arashiyama and features around 1200 unique statues. The facial expressions on the statues range from angry, sad, content, happy and even laughing. It truly is a sight to behold once you get up close. I could have photographed them all day long. My personal favourite is the laughing buddha pictured below.
There really are so many angles to photograph this amazing temple from, make sure you explore and try to capture them all!
This temple has an amazing story, the original Otagi Temple was built in the year 766 in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto but was washed away when the nearby Kamo River banks flooded and was later relocated. Read up on the full story on the temple website here.
#7 Kiyomizu-dera
Kiyomizu-dera is one of the largest tourist attractions in Kyoto, even Japan and with good reason. It’s location on top of a hill gives visitors stunning views over Kyoto and its surrounds. It’s history also dates back over 1,200 years. There are many buildings and halls located throughout the Kiyomizu-dera precinct. It’s also a fantastic spot to enjoy the sunset from.
if you’re lucky to see it during autumn you might even get to see the buildings illuminated at night which is quite a sight. It really brings the rich orange and red colours of the buildings to life. With a blue sky on dusk it can make for some really nice, well balanced images.
#8 Enkoji
Enkō-ji, is a Zen Buddhist temple located near the Shugakuin Imperial Villa which also has some very nice gardens. It is particularly famous for its autumn foliage and Suikinkutsu. The gardens in this temple are immaculately kept and if you can be patient and navigate your way around the many tourists it’s possible to come away with some very rewarding images. Below are a couple of my favourites from my time spent there.
#9 Byodoin
This location really blew me away from an architectural standpoint, Byōdō-in is a Buddhist temple in the city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, built in the late Heian period. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s not hard to see why. The breathtaking thing about this location is the temple itself, it’s an impressive feat of buddhist architecture. The surrounding ponds also have many beautiful koi fish swimming around them as with many other temples in Kyoto.
#10 Hokanji (Yasaka Pagoda)
I think every city around the world has one or two locations where you instantly recognise the city from the photo and say “that’s XYZ city”. I think for Kyoto that location is this one right here, the popular shot of the Yasaka Pagoda at Hokanji temple. The streets around the Higashiyama District that surround this 46 metre high pagoda are well worth time exploring as well. This particular photo was taken just on sunrise with very few people around except a couple of other enthusiastic photographers, if you’re visiting at sunset prepare to be greeted with crowds. Also check out the Gion district if you are nearby but be aware that there are photography restrictions in certain streets because of the famous Geisha of Gion.
Bonus #11 Kongorin-ji Temple & the Windmill Ojizos
This is an extra location that I couldn’t help but include. It’s not in Kyoto specifically, it’s around a 1 hour drive from the centre of Kyoto but it brought me some fond memories and was a location with a lot of character. Kongōrin-ji Temple was established in 741. Its main hall, built in 1288, miraculously survived attacks in 1573 and is now a National Treasure of Japan. It wasn’t the temple or gardens that had me add it to this list though. It was the hundreds of statues of Jizo, the Buddhist guardian of children adorned with bibs and windmills. From what I’ve read there’s a bit of a sad story to the statues with each one representing a water child, still-born, aborted or miscarried babies that are symbolised in these statues for their memories to live on in the afterworld.
As you make your way uphill up a gently graded winding path you’ll pass literally hundreds if not thousands of these little statues on both sides providing plenty of photo opportunities.
Thanks for reading my list of Kyoto’s most amazing temples for photography. This is by no means a definitive list as there are literally more than 1,000 temples in Kyoto itself. I’d love to hear some of your favourite temples that you’ve visited in Kyoto and its surrounding areas. Let me know your favourites in the comments below!
Many of the photos on this page are available to purchase as prints and more. Check out my Japan collection over on my Redbubble store here.