Encounter the Hidden Gem Known As Kodaiji Temple

Start your tour at the Kodaiji temple in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. The 17th-century Zen Buddhist temple is a prized attraction for its stunning Momoyama Period architecture. Its outstanding features include the Hojo or Main Hall, Kaisando or Founder’s Hall, traditional teahouses, and Zen gardens. Visit the Otama-ya mausoleum, the resting place of Nene and Toyotomi Hideyoshi and marvel at the enshrined wooden statues, dedicated to its founders, made using the ancient Kodai-ji Makie technique. For an authentic Japanese experience, visit one of the many traditional teahouses located here. Follow it up by strolling through the rock garden and tsukiyama-styled garden and revel in its peaceful ambiance. Lastly, do not skip walking along the mesmerizing bamboo grove as you will treasure those memories for a long time to come.

Continue Your Trip at the Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The next stop is the popular Kiyomizu-dera Temple (or the Temple of the Pure Water Spring) in Eastern Kyoto. Built on the side of Mt. Otowayama, it covers an expanse of 130,000 square meters and includes over 30 buildings and monuments of cultural significance. You can begin by visiting the Main Hall, where the eleven-faced and thousand-armed Buddhist goddess Seiju Kannon is enshrined.

Next, make your way to the viewing platform, which is suspended 13 meters above the hillside. It might surprise you to learn that the wooden platform was built without using a single nail. What’s more impressive, however, is the view from this vantage point. You will see countless cherry and maple trees in bright colors sprawling in every direction. Another highlight of this temple is the tourist-favorite Otowa Waterfall. It has long drawn pilgrims, who believe that drinking from the Otowa Spring can grant them a longer life, success at school, and good fortune in their love lives! The Jishu Shrine dedicated to the deity of love and matchmaking is also worth a visit. So are the Okunoin Hall, Koyasu Pagoda, Inner Sanctuary Stage, and Zuigudo Hall.