Best Temples around Kansai Spot List

The main training center for Shingon Esoteric Buddhism with its iconic five-story pagoda, the key landmark of Kyoto's scenery. The temple is known as ”Daishi's temple.”

Featuring a garden created by Motonobu Kano

Known by locals as “Kurodani-san”

The scattered fallen leaves in autumn are beautiful

A Zen temple of the Rinzai School built in the scenic area of Arashimaya in Kyoto. It was built by Takauji Ashikaga in memory of the recently deceased Emperor Go-Daigo.

Famous for its majestic, moss-covered garden

A temple that has existed since the Warring States period and is connected to Nobunaga

The historic, symbolic spot of Namba. Always popular with tourists

A temple built upon the request of Emperor Tenmu during the Hakuho Period. Reconstructed in recent years, the temple structures showcase beautiful, vibrant colors.

A temple founded in Higashiyama by Hideyoshi Toyotomi's wife, Nene, to mourn his passing and pray for his soul. The nighttime illuminations in spring, summer and fall are beautiful to see.

One of the last temples to prohibit entry to women

This Buddhist school was established by the Chinese monk Jianzhen

Stroll along the heart-shaped pond in the garden

Tadao Ando designed this temple's main hall

The first of 33 temples on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, Seiganto-ji is an ever-popular destination for worshipers

The mountain villa of Minamoto no Toru, the model for Hikaru Genji

Autumn colors light up the moss garden in this temple's garden of enlightenment

Himeji’s famous mountain-top temple

Indulge in tea while gazing at the garden

An elegant temple with a Japanese rock garden and wonderful autumn foliage