Kyoto in the fall - Illuminated Fall Foliage at Kodai-ji -

Last update : 4 Nov 2021

Written by Takoyakikun

Every year, from mid-November to early December, Kyoto welcomes its peak season for fall foliage. One of the must-do activity in this season is to go enjoy lighted up fall foliage held at some places including temples!

In this article, we will introduce you some pictures that were taken at Kodai-ji on November 28th 2010, during a time of night-time special viewing. The temple is in the walking distance from Yasaka-jinja and it is famous for a superb garden.

This is a picture of Yasaka-jinja, a symbol of Gion district. People visit this shrine wishing for blessings for protection against evil, dispersion of sickness and thriving of business. The shrine is also famous for “Gion Festival”, which is considered as one of the 3 big festivals in Japan and held for a month starting on July 1st every year. The gate shown in the picture is “Nishi Ro-mon” looking whimsical illuminated by lights.

Yasaka Shrine

Address:625 Gion-cho north sides, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City
Open Hours:24 hours
Admission Fee:Free
Access:5 minutes’ walk from Keihan–line Gion Shijo Station/Take a City Bus 100 or 206, get off at Gion bus stop and it’s in front of you

From Yasaka-jinja to Kodai-ji, it is about 10 minutes’ walk.
You can take “Nene-no-michi”, a beautiful stone-paved pathway.
This is such a “Kyoto-like” charming road, and there are souvenir shops and sweet cafes on the way too, which makes it perfect for a stroll.

Go up the long stone stairway, and you will arrive at Kodai-ji. As shown in its name, the temple is up on the hill. Given that it was the best season for fall foliage, there was a long line to get in.

This temple was founded in 1606 by Nene, Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s wife, to mourn over his death. Hideyoshi was once a ruler of the whole country.

In the ground, approximately 1,000 trees get colorful at the same time.

Exquisite fall colors reflected in the pond is a must-see.

Standing in front of absolute beauty, you may forget how much time is passing.

It is relaxing to spend some time walking around the temple watching beautiful fall foliage.

At Kodai-ji, night-time illumination is held in three seasons; spring summer and fall. No seasons should be missed; in the spring, cherry blossoms, in the summer, lanterns and in the fall, fall foliage can be enjoyed.

Given that it is about 15 minutes’ walk from the city’s most famous tourist destination, Kiyomizu-dera, this is a spot that you should plan to visit on the same route.