Japan Travel

Kyoto temples and shrines guide: what to see, when to go and etiquette

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Kyoto has well over a thousand temples and shrines, and many of the most famous are among the most crowded places in Japan. Choosing a few well, and visiting at the right time, makes the difference between a calm morning and a queue. Here are the essential sites, how to beat the crowds and how to behave when you get there.

Temples and shrines: the difference

Shrines (jinja) are Shinto and marked by a torii gate. Temples (tera, -ji, -dera) are Buddhist, usually with a large wooden gate and a main hall with statues. Most Japanese people visit both without contradiction.

The essential sites

  • Fushimi Inari Taisha: the shrine with thousands of vermilion torii gates running up Mount Inari. It is open 24 hours, so it is the easiest place to beat the crowds: go at dawn. The crowds thin out the higher you climb, and the full loop to the summit takes a couple of hours.
  • Kiyomizu-dera: a hillside temple famous for its wooden stage over the valley, with views across the city. It opens early in the morning, which is by far the best time to come, before the lanes below (Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka) fill up.
  • Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion): a gold-leaf pavilion reflected in a pond. You follow a set path, so the visit is short. Arrive at opening time.
  • Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion): never actually covered in silver, but with a beautiful moss garden and a sculpted sand garden. It sits at the start of the Philosopher's Path, a canal-side walk south past smaller temples.
  • Ryoan-ji: home to Japan's most famous rock garden, fifteen stones in raked gravel. Sit on the veranda and take your time. It is near Kinkaku-ji, so many people pair them.
  • Tenryu-ji: a major Zen temple in Arashiyama with a landscaped garden, right beside the bamboo grove. Visit the grove first thing in the morning.
  • Sanjusangendo: a long hall holding 1,001 statues of the Kannon, standing in rows. Photography is not allowed inside, and it is a striking sight. It is close to Kyoto Station.

How to visit early

  • Popular temples open at different times, and many change their hours by season. Check each one's official site before you plan.
  • Start with the sites that open earliest or are always open (Fushimi Inari, Kiyomizu-dera, the Arashiyama bamboo grove), then move to those that open later.
  • Group by area: northern Kyoto (Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji), Higashiyama (Kiyomizu-dera, Ginkaku-ji, the Philosopher's Path), Arashiyama (Tenryu-ji), and southern Kyoto (Fushimi Inari).
  • Weekdays outside cherry blossom and autumn leaf season are far quieter. In peak season, the first hour after opening is precious.
  • Buses get very crowded; trains and walking, or a taxi between nearby sites, are often faster.

Etiquette

  • Torii gates: many people bow lightly before passing through and walk to the side of the path, as the centre is said to be for the deity.
  • Temizu (purification): at the water basin, take the ladle in your right hand and rinse your left hand, then switch and rinse your right. Pour a little water into your cupped left hand and rinse your mouth, without touching the ladle to your lips, and spit discreetly beside the basin. Tip the ladle upright so the remaining water runs down the handle.
  • Praying at a shrine: toss a coin in the box, bow twice, clap twice, pray, then bow once more. At temples, do not clap; put your hands together quietly.
  • Shoes off where there is a raised floor or a shoe rack. Wear socks without holes.
  • Photos: not allowed inside many halls; signs will say so. Never photograph a ceremony or monks without permission.
  • Keep your voice down, and do not eat while walking through the grounds.

Goshuin: temple stamps

Many temples and shrines will write a goshuin for a small fee: a red seal stamp with calligraphy brushed by hand, recording your visit. Buy a goshuin book (goshuinchō) at a temple first; they are sacred records, so do not ask for one in a tourist notebook. Some sites hand out pre-written slips at busy times. What is your favourite temple or shrine in Kyoto, and what time did you go? Share your tips in the comments.

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