Tenryu-ji temple garden
Kyoto · Temple
30–90 min
🚶 10 10 min walk from Saga-Arashiyama Station
¥¥
Insider Tip
Enter the Bamboo Grove from the temple's north gate (back exit) to walk it in the less-crowded direction. The garden is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
JEMS Tip
JEMS times your visit for the morning light on the Sogenchi Pond garden and provides a route connecting to the Bamboo Grove.
About
Tenryu-ji's Sogenchi garden, designed by the legendary Muso Soseki in 1339, is one of Japan's finest examples of borrowed scenery (shakkei) — the Arashiyama mountains become part of the garden composition.
Crowd Avoidance
Arrive at opening (8:30am) before tour buses. The garden is most peaceful in the first hour. Weekdays are significantly better.
Getting There
JR San-in Line to Saga-Arashiyama Station (15 min from Kyoto Station). Walk 10 minutes to the temple.
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