# Temples, shrines and gardens

Kyoto holds Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari, the Golden and Silver Pavilions and two gardens visited by reservation, Katsura Imperial Villa and the moss temple; Nara has Tōdai-ji and Kasuga Taisha; Miyajima, Itsukushima shrine built over the sea; Kanazawa, Kenrokuen garden. Allow four to five nights in Kyoto, a day in Nara and a night on the island, in spring or autumn, with Aman Kyoto, Capella Kyoto or Iwasō.

Source : https://umika-travel.com/en/themes/temples-shrines-and-gardens/

For a trip to Japan built around temples, shrines and gardens, Kyoto is the base: four to five nights for Kiyomizu-dera, Fushimi Inari shrine, the Golden and Silver Pavilions, Arashiyama and two gardens that can only be visited by reservation, Katsura Imperial Villa and Saihō-ji. Nara is a day trip from Kyoto, Miyajima and its shrine standing over the sea take one or two nights, and Kanazawa and its Kenrokuen garden two or three. Tokyo adds Sensō-ji, Meiji Jingū and the gardens of the former Edo Castle.

## Temple, shrine, garden: the basics

A temple, tera or -ji in Japanese, is Buddhist; a shrine, jinja, jingū or taisha, is Shintō, the religion of Japan's local deities. A shrine is recognisable by its torii, the gateway that marks its entrance. The gestures differ: at a shrine, you rinse your hands at the purification basin, then bow twice, clap twice and bow again; at a temple, you pray in silence, without clapping, and sometimes take your shoes off before entering the buildings. Our [onsen, ryokan and etiquette guide](/en/guides/onsen-etiquette-japan/) explains these customs in detail.

Gardens are often visited with the temples: the moss garden of Saihō-ji, laid out in the 14th century by the Zen monk Musō Kokushi; the strolling gardens of the feudal lords, such as Kenrokuen in Kanazawa; the gardens of the shoguns' former residences in Tokyo.

## Kyoto, district by district

[Kyoto](/en/japan/kyoto/) is best seen one district a day:

| District | Sites | Opening hours, local time |
|---|---|---|
| East, Higashiyama | Kiyomizu-dera, main hall rebuilt in 1633 | from 6am |
| East, Higashiyama | Ginkaku-ji, the Silver Pavilion, begun in 1482 | 8.30am-5pm from March to November, 9am-4.30pm from December to February |
| Gion | Kennin-ji, described as the city's oldest Zen temple, about 800 years old | |
| South | Fushimi Inari Taisha, founded in 711, about 10,000 torii over 87 hectares | 5 min from Kyoto Station on the JR Nara line |
| North-west | Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, built from 1397 | 9am-5pm |
| West, Arashiyama | bamboo grove near Tenryū-ji | |

Fushimi Inari is the head shrine of Japan's 30,000 or so Inari shrines; it bans drones, eating while walking and photo stops that block the narrow paths. In Arashiyama, as at Fushimi Inari, carving marks into the bamboo is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to 300,000 ¥ (about 1,692 €).

In Gion, since January 2024, residents, teahouses and Kennin-ji have asked visitors not to enter temples, shrines and private property without permission, and not to photograph a geiko, as geishas are called in Kyoto, or a maiko, their apprentice, without her consent. Trespassing is punishable by a fine of up to 100,000 ¥ (about 564 €).

## What to book ahead

A few places limit visitor numbers and must be booked before you travel:

- **Katsura Imperial Villa** can only be visited with a guide. Online applications open at 5am on the 1st of the month, three months before the month of the visit: for April, on 1 January. English tours start at 9.20am, 11.20am, 1.20pm, 3.20pm and 4.20pm; the villa is closed on Mondays, on Tuesday when Monday is a public holiday, and from 28 December to 4 January.
- **Saihō-ji**, the moss temple, has admitted visitors only by reservation since 1977, at least the day before, in small groups. You first copy a sutra, a Buddhist text, then wander freely in the garden, about an hour in all.
- **Myōryū-ji**, in Kanazawa, is shown by guided tour only, by reservation, from 9am to 4pm, for 1,200 ¥ (about 7 €).
- **The Mount Misen ropeway**, on Miyajima, requires online booking on some busy days.

A private tea ceremony is also booked ahead: in Kyoto, Camellia hosts guests near Ryōan-ji, for 50 minutes, from 15,000 ¥ (about 85 €) per person, and in Higashiyama, for 45 minutes, from 8,000 ¥ (about 46 €).

## Nara, a day in the park

[Nara](/en/japan/nara/) is 34 minutes from Kyoto by Kintetsu express. Its shrines and temples stand together in a 660-hectare park where deer roam freely. The Great Buddha Hall of Tōdai-ji, 48.7 m high, rebuilt in the Edo period, opens from 7.30am to 5.30pm from April to October and from 8am to 5pm from November to March, for 800 ¥ (about 5 €). Kasuga Taisha, backed by the primeval forest of Mount Kasuga, opens from 6.30am between March and October. Kōfuku-ji, the Fujiwara family temple moved to Nara in 710, takes cash only, and its five-storey pagoda is under scaffolding. Isuien garden, which combines an Edo-period garden and a Meiji-era garden, closes on Tuesdays.

## Miyajima, the shrine on the sea

Itsukushima shrine, founded according to tradition in 593, was raised on piles over the sea in 1168; its great torii stands in the water. It opens at 6.30am and closes between 5pm and 6pm depending on the month, for 300 ¥ (about 2 €). The island is 25 minutes by train from Hiroshima and then 10 minutes by ferry, with a visitor tax of 100 ¥ (about 1 €). In the evening, a 30-minute cruise passes the illuminated shrine; our [Hiroshima and Miyajima](/en/japan/hiroshima-and-miyajima/) page has the details.

## Kanazawa, Kenrokuen and the ninja temple

In [Kanazawa](/en/japan/kanazawa-and-kaga-onsen/), Kenrokuen garden opens from 7am to 6pm from 1 March to 15 October and from 8am to 5pm from 16 October to the end of February, for 320 ¥ (about 2 €); early in the morning, entry is free through the Hasuike-mon and Zuijinzaka gates. From 1 November to mid-December, the gardeners put up the yukitsuri, ropes that protect the branches from snow. Myōryū-ji, founded in 1643 by the Maeda family, hides trapdoors and secret staircases over four interior levels. At Gyokusen-en garden, the Saisetsu-tei teahouse holds a tea ceremony for 5,000 ¥ (about 29 €), to be booked three days ahead; the D. T. Suzuki Museum is devoted to the Zen Buddhist thinker.

## Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka and Setoda

In [Tokyo](/en/japan/tokyo/), Sensō-ji, in Asakusa, opens its main hall at 6am from April to September and at 6.30am from October to March. Meiji Jingū, founded in 1920, is surrounded by a 70-hectare forest. The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, laid out on the enclosures of Edo Castle, are free and closed on Mondays and Fridays; Hama-rikyū garden, created in 1654, has a seawater pond that rises and falls with the tide.

Along the way, other stops: the shrine at Hakone, with more than 1,260 years of history and a torii standing in Lake Ashi; in Osaka, Sumiyoshi Taisha, founded in 211 according to tradition, whose four main sanctuaries, rebuilt in 1810, are National Treasures; in Setoda, on the Seto Inland Sea, the three-storey pagoda of Kōjō-ji, built in 1432 and a National Treasure.

## Staying near the temples

| Hotel | Where | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| [Aman Kyoto](/en/hotels/aman-kyoto/) | Takagamine, 1.6 km from Kinkaku-ji | visits to neighbouring Kōetsu-ji, Zen meditation with a monk |
| [Hoshinoya Kyoto](/en/hotels/hoshinoya-kyoto/) | Arashiyama, by boat | Zen meditation at dawn in a temple; from 6 January to 2 February 2027, a private prayer at Hōrin-ji; guests aged 12 and over |
| [Capella Kyoto](/en/hotels/capella-kyoto/) | Miyagawa-chō | a few steps from Kennin-ji; two Gion Suites facing the temple |
| Imperial Hotel Kyoto | Gion | in the heart of the geiko district, 8 minutes' walk from Gion-Shijō station |
| [Iwasō](/en/hotels/iwaso/) | Miyajima | 3 minutes' walk from Itsukushima shrine, open from 6.30am |
| KAI Miyajima | Miyajimaguchi, facing the island | rooms facing the island; shirabyōshi dance and the story of the shrine every evening |

The [Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka in 12 days](/en/ideas/tokyo-hakone-kyoto-osaka-12-days/) itinerary gives three days to Kyoto and one to Nara; Kyoto, Miyajima and the art islands in 10 days spends two nights at Iwasō. Spring and autumn are the garden seasons: our [cherry blossoms and autumn leaves](/en/themes/cherry-blossoms-and-autumn-leaves/) page gives the dates.

## Frequently asked questions

### How many days do you need for Kyoto's temples?

Four to five nights: a day for the east, with Kiyomizu-dera, Gion and Ginkaku-ji, one for Fushimi Inari and the Golden Pavilion, one for the west, with Arashiyama, Katsura or the moss temple, and one for Nara, 34 minutes away by Kintetsu express.

### Do you need to book Katsura Villa and the moss temple?

Yes. Katsura Imperial Villa is visited with a guide; applications open at 5am on the 1st of the month, three months before the month of the visit. Saihō-ji admits visitors only by reservation made at least the day before, in small groups.

### What is the difference between a temple and a shrine?

A temple is Buddhist, a shrine Shintō. You enter a shrine under a torii, rinse your hands, then bow twice and clap twice; at a temple, you pray in silence, without clapping.

### What time should you visit to avoid the crowds?

At opening time: 6am at Kiyomizu-dera, 6am at Sensō-ji from April to September, 6.30am at Itsukushima shrine, 7.30am at Tōdai-ji from April to October. Kenrokuen opens free of charge from 4am between April and August through two of its gates.

### Can you stay near the shrine on Miyajima?

Yes: Iwasō, a ryokan, or traditional Japanese inn, founded in 1854, is on the island, 3 minutes' walk from the shrine. KAI Miyajima, opened in July 2026, is on the opposite shore, with a boat to the island.

### Can you take photos in temples?

In the grounds, generally yes; some temples ban photography inside their buildings, and signs say so. In Gion, photography is banned on private property, and you do not photograph a geiko or maiko without her consent.