Best Temples around Kansai Spot List

The Osawa-no-ike Pond is famous for its cherry blossoms and moon-viewing pavilion

This imposing temple serves as a center for Shugendo asceticism

Worshipers are charmed by the many flowers and large Kannon statue

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.”

An ancient temple known as an exemplary viewing spot for autumn leaves since the Heian period.

Fallen leaves on the road to the temple invite you to this high-status monzeki temple

A temple with strings of ”monkey charms”

A temple associated with Heian-era poet Ariwara no Narihara

Check out the ”Sento Kuyo” ceremony on summer nights

The nation’s head Koyasan Shingon-shu temple

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.

The head temple of the Myoshin-ji Temple school of the Rinzai sect. It is Japan's largest Zen temple, with 46 sub-temples.

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.

Quietly praying to the rakan statues on the hillsides

This ancient temple was erected by Empress Komyo

Famous for a painted fusuma from Tohaku Hasegawa

Known for “the evening bell of Mii-dera”, one of the Eight Views of Omi

Several hundred structures are scattered across Mt. Hiei

Himeji’s famous mountain-top temple

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