Aug. 05, 2022 UPDATE

Tenryu-ji Temple

- 天龍寺 -
Traveler Friendly
English brochures are available at the entrances of both the garden and the building. The main entrance of the temple is so close to Keifuku Dentetsu Arashiyama Line, Arashiyama station that you can easily access.
Information
Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean websites are available.
Languages spoken
Japanese only
3740 64 7.7 1 reviews
Aug. 05, 2022 UPDATE

Tenryu-ji Temple

- 天龍寺 -
Traveler Friendly
English brochures are available at the entrances of both the garden and the building. The main entrance of the temple is so close to Keifuku Dentetsu Arashiyama Line, Arashiyama station that you can easily access.
Information
Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean websites are available.
Languages spoken
Japanese only
3740 64 7.7 1 reviews
Story & Recommendation
Enjoy an amazing garden and the scenic beauty of Arashiyama
Located in the Arashiyama district, Tenryū-ji Temple is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji School of Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism and a registered UNESCO world heritage site.
It was founded in 1339 by the Shogun Ashikaga Takauji in memory of Emperor Go-Daigo, with the eminent Zen master Musō Soseki serving as its first abbot. It was initially one of the largest Zen temples in Kyoto, but a series of eight major fires over the centuries have left it a fraction of its original size.
The highlight of any tour of the Tenryū-ji Temple is the Sōgen-chi Garden, Japan's first officially designated “special place of scenic beauty.” Designed by Musō Soseki in the early 1340s, the Sōgen-chi Garden has maintained its original form over the past 700 years.
Featuring flowers in the spring, maple leaves in the fall, and noted for its skillful use of the surrounding mountains as "borrowed scenery," the Sōgen-chi Garden can be enjoyed throughout the year.
Other places of interest at the Tenryū-ji Temple include the Dharma Hall, the Abbot's Quarters, and the Tahō-den.
Enjoy a leisurely stroll around the temple as you take in its magnificent scenery.
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    Erika's Comment
User Reviews
7.7 Great
experience8.0 access6.0 photogenic9.0
Laura - Japan
Nov. 09, 2018
Details
Open Hours
Summer: 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Winter (Oct. 21 - Mar. 20): 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Reservations
Not accepted
Closed
None
Price range
Garden only: Ages 15+: ¥500 Ages 6 - 14: ¥300 Ages 5 and below: free Tenryu-ji Garden and Buildings: Above price + ¥100 Tenryuji's buildings are occasionally closed without notice for special ceremonies and other activities. Special Admission to the Cloud-Dragon Painting in the Hatto (Dharma Hall): ¥500 *Please note that the Dharma Hall admission fee is separate from that of Tenryu-ji's garden and buildings. The Dharma Hall is open only on weekends and holidays and during specially designated periods during spring and autumn. Open hours: Summer: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Winter (Oct. 21 - Mar. 20): 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Credit cards
Not accepted
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