japan-spots.com 47 prefectures · 470 spots
Kyoto 🛕 Temple 📷 10

Ninna-ji

仁和寺

A Buddhist temple built for quiet — halls, gardens and incense smoke.

See the photos How to get there Open in Maps
Best season April (blossom) and mid-November–early December (foliage)
Time needed 45–90 minutes
Admission Roughly ¥300–800 for halls and gardens (≈ $2–5)
Opening hours Typically 8:30–17:00 (shorter in winter)

What this place is

Ninna-ji (仁和寺, Ninna-ji) is the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism. Located in western Kyoto, Japan, it was first founded in AD 888 by Emperor Uda, and was later reconstructed in the 17th century. It is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ninna-ji was a monzeki temple with deep ties to the Imperial family and was called the "Omuro Gosho" (Omuro Imperial Palace) until the Meiji Restoration. It is also a famous sakura viewing location in spring, attracting many visitors. The temple is also the head temple of the Omuro-ryu school of ikebana (flower arrangement), which was founded by Emperor Uda. The Omuro Cherry Blossoms and the Ninna-ji Imperial Palace Gardens are nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty and the site of the Ninna-ji Imperial Palace is a National Historic Site.

Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)

Why it is worth the trip

  • Main halls housing Buddhist statuary, some of it designated National Treasure or Important Cultural Property.
  • Gardens designed to be looked at rather than walked through — raked gravel, moss, borrowed mountain scenery.
  • Wooden architecture with deep eaves and joinery assembled without nails, often rebuilt over many centuries.

What you can do here

  • Light incense at the burner and waft the smoke over yourself before entering the main hall.
  • Sit on the veranda facing the garden — that is the intended way to see it, and it costs nothing extra.
  • Receive a goshuin seal, or try a short zazen / sutra-copying session where offered.
  • Walk the temple's pagoda, bell tower and sub-temples; many stay open later than the main hall.

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.

Getting there by public transport

Route on Google Maps

Good to know before you go

  • Remove your shoes where indicated and carry them in the plastic bag provided.
  • Keep voices low inside halls; photography of the principal image is often prohibited.
  • Autumn foliage and spring blossom seasons bring long queues — go right at opening.

Traveler reviews

No reviews yet — be the first to share how it went.

Write a review

Rating