Tofuku-ji
東福寺
Kyoto's top autumn foliage spot. From the Tsutenkyo bridge you look down on about 2,000 maple trees in the Shiltamaru ravine, which look like a sea of red clouds.
Tofuku-ji is the head temple of the Tofuku-ji branch of the Rinzai school and one of the Kyoto Gozan. Its Sanmon gate is the oldest surviving Zen sanmon in Japan and a National Treasure. The Tsutenkyo, a wooden covered walkway connecting the main hall and the founder's hall, spans the Shiltamaru ravine. When the valley's maples turn red in autumn, it is Kyoto's most famous foliage view. The abbot's garden was designed by Shigemori Mirei, a renowned Showa-era garden designer, and the checkerboard moss garden on the north side has a striking modern feel. The Tsutenkyo costs about 600 yen (about 1,000 yen during the foliage season). It is open from 9:00 to 16:00. During foliage season, photography and stopping on the bridge are not allowed. It is about a 10-minute walk from Tofukuji Station on JR.
Opening hours
09:00–16:00 (opens 08:30 in Nov and early Dec)
Nearby sights
- Fushimi Inari Taisha
- Sanjusangen-do
- Kyoto Tower
- Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka
- Kiyomizu-dera
- Kodai-ji
- To-ji
- Yasaka Shrine