Daikaku-ji Temple
Daikaku-ji Temple
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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Neighborhood: Western Kyoto
Western Kyoto is home to some of the city's best eccentricities. Kyoto's Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street takes visitors back in time to the Meiji Period, where old homes have been transformed into tea houses and eateries. Pleasure boats drift down the riverbank, under wooden bridges that beckon nature lovers to hiking trails and botanical walks. The area's famously tall bamboo groves, monkey park, and impressive vistas during the Hanami cherry blossom viewing season mean that it is busiest in warmer months, though also gorgeous in the fall, when the mountains and hills along the banks turn multi-colored. Historic and engaging, even the rail cars in Western Kyoto seek to exemplify its traditional nature and scenic beauty. Many people, including natives, come to visit the 1,200 rakan statues at the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, which is still in use as a religious site.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
378 reviews
Excellent
207
Very good
129
Average
35
Poor
5
Terrible
2
Judy C
Brisbane, Australia329 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
If you want a truly contemplative temple experience, make the effort to get to Daikoku-ji in the Sagano district, west of Kyoto. Take the #28 bus from D3 stand at Kyoto Station and it's at the end of the run. The temple was originally a 9th century palace of Emperor Saga and became a Shingon Buddhist temple about 30 years after his death. Such a beautiful setting - all the buildings are low and blend into the green background - they are all connected by 'nightingale' floor walkways. The screen paintings are superb, and the floor-level frieze of rabbits is playful. The overall feeling is of peacefulness and serenity. There are few western tourists, and not many Japanese, so it's possible to really enjoy the atmosphere without distraction. There is a small pavilion at the entrance with some examples of ikebana and the gardens are delightful.
Written June 17, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jameshuang
Taipei, Taiwan2,004 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Daikaku-ji Temple (大覺寺) is located in the Arashiyama (嵐山) area, northwest of Kyoto Station. Daikaku-ji was founded in the early Heian period (平安時代), and it belongs to Shingon Buddhist sect (真言佛教宗派), which was founded by Kobo-Daishi Kukai. Daikaku-ji Temple was a detached palace of Emperor Saga, and it was later converted to a temple in 876 by his daughter, the Empress Dowager Seishi. The current buildings at Daikaku-ji Temple are from the 16th century and onwards. The Shinden (宸殿) has been designated as an Important Cultural Property by the Japanese government, and the entire temple grounds were also designated as a national historic site. The famous cherry blossoms in spring, thousands of lotus flowers in summer, leaf color change in autumn, and the snow-white landscape in winter make it a popular year round tourist destination.
We visited the temple during a cold January, and there were fewer visitors. Once we entered the buildings, we found that those buildings were connected with wooden corridors. It was easy to explore Daikaku-ji Temple by following the signs. The Entrance Hall of Shikidai has beautiful walls with paintings on gold foil-pressed paper. The Entrance Hall only opens to the public on special occasions, and we were so lucky to see it. If you pay extra attention, you will see some beautiful Ikebana on display. This is because the headquarters of Saga Goryu ikebana was founded here some 1,200 years ago. Shinden Hall was the residence of the Imperial family. We also saw the beautiful paintings on those sliding doors inside the building. You can imagine how the ancient nobilities' everyday life looked like. Godai-do Hall (五大堂) has a wide, wooden terrace facing the beautiful man-made pond, Osawa-no-ike Pond (大澤池). Osawa Pond is also famous for its Harvest Moon Festival in autumn and is an ideal place to view the moon. There are many halls in the Daikaku-ji Temple, and you can take your time to enjoy them all.
Daikaku-ji Temple opens daily from 9 am to 5 pm. The admission fee is 500 yen for adults. You can take the JR San'in Honsen line from Kyoto station to Saga-Arashiyama station, then walk for about 15 minutes. You can also take Kyoto City Bus No. 28, or Kyoto Bus No. 71 from Kyoto station to Daikaku-ji, and it is only 1 minute on foot away from the stop.
We visited the temple during a cold January, and there were fewer visitors. Once we entered the buildings, we found that those buildings were connected with wooden corridors. It was easy to explore Daikaku-ji Temple by following the signs. The Entrance Hall of Shikidai has beautiful walls with paintings on gold foil-pressed paper. The Entrance Hall only opens to the public on special occasions, and we were so lucky to see it. If you pay extra attention, you will see some beautiful Ikebana on display. This is because the headquarters of Saga Goryu ikebana was founded here some 1,200 years ago. Shinden Hall was the residence of the Imperial family. We also saw the beautiful paintings on those sliding doors inside the building. You can imagine how the ancient nobilities' everyday life looked like. Godai-do Hall (五大堂) has a wide, wooden terrace facing the beautiful man-made pond, Osawa-no-ike Pond (大澤池). Osawa Pond is also famous for its Harvest Moon Festival in autumn and is an ideal place to view the moon. There are many halls in the Daikaku-ji Temple, and you can take your time to enjoy them all.
Daikaku-ji Temple opens daily from 9 am to 5 pm. The admission fee is 500 yen for adults. You can take the JR San'in Honsen line from Kyoto station to Saga-Arashiyama station, then walk for about 15 minutes. You can also take Kyoto City Bus No. 28, or Kyoto Bus No. 71 from Kyoto station to Daikaku-ji, and it is only 1 minute on foot away from the stop.
Written January 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ted C
La Mesa, CA189 contributions
Nov 2014 • Family
Daikaku-ji Temple is located in the north western quarter of Kyoto and despite having been in Kyoto 5 or 6 times over the past 50+ years I had neither heard of it or been there. This truly was unfortunate as we found it to be one of the most attractive and most interesting temples we have ever visited.
It originated in the early 800's as a retreat for a retired emperor and while I am not sure how many or much of the buildings are original it is fascinating. It is elevated on wooden piles like the buildings shown in the illustrations for the classic Japanese novel The Tale of Genji. Beautiful gardens, a most attractive lake beside the main buildings, and for the most part NOT OVER RUN WITH TOURISTS, save for 300 Jr. High School students who arrived on a bus, but happily for us were not interested in staying very long as lunch was being served shortly.
It is composed of over 10 separate buildings connected by elevated walkways. All of the walkways have "nightingale" floors to prevent assassions from sneaking up on the occupants, or wives sneaking up on straying husbands enjoying the housemaids.
This place is well worth going to see, plan on at least 2 or 3 hours to stroll through it, take a lunch to eat in the garden next to the lake, relax and see what it was like to be a retired emperor in the 800's.
To get there take the JR San-in line from Kyoto Station to Saga Arishiyama Station, exit through the North exit and since you will do quite a bit of walking in the temple and its grounds I strongly recommend taking a taxi.
I have literally been to 100's of temple in Kyoto over the years and this one is truly special.
It originated in the early 800's as a retreat for a retired emperor and while I am not sure how many or much of the buildings are original it is fascinating. It is elevated on wooden piles like the buildings shown in the illustrations for the classic Japanese novel The Tale of Genji. Beautiful gardens, a most attractive lake beside the main buildings, and for the most part NOT OVER RUN WITH TOURISTS, save for 300 Jr. High School students who arrived on a bus, but happily for us were not interested in staying very long as lunch was being served shortly.
It is composed of over 10 separate buildings connected by elevated walkways. All of the walkways have "nightingale" floors to prevent assassions from sneaking up on the occupants, or wives sneaking up on straying husbands enjoying the housemaids.
This place is well worth going to see, plan on at least 2 or 3 hours to stroll through it, take a lunch to eat in the garden next to the lake, relax and see what it was like to be a retired emperor in the 800's.
To get there take the JR San-in line from Kyoto Station to Saga Arishiyama Station, exit through the North exit and since you will do quite a bit of walking in the temple and its grounds I strongly recommend taking a taxi.
I have literally been to 100's of temple in Kyoto over the years and this one is truly special.
Written November 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
M. L.
Singapore, Singapore413 contributions
Oct 2019
If you hate crowds but love the architecture and grounds of Japanese temples, spend the morning of one Kyoto day here. This is not to be missed. As an imperial villa of Emperor Saga during the Heian Period, this temple is huge with ornate interior doors yet with the austerity of a religious location. The gardens on the property are large, along with a large pond in the back that has three islands in it. It is a great place to wander, soak in the tranquil and lush atmosphere and relax.
The temple is a no-shoes zone. Plastic bags will be provided for you to carry your shoes around or leave them at the entrance of the temple. There is also a treasure hall that is open sometimes where you can look at historical artifacts and holy relics and statues of Buddhist deities for a fee.
Another bonus I found was that part of the money offerings made will go to an international nature charity. It was unexpected as one would expect the temple to absorb the funds for the upkeep of the grounds and building as well as the services carried out, so it was a pleasant discovery.
The temple is a no-shoes zone. Plastic bags will be provided for you to carry your shoes around or leave them at the entrance of the temple. There is also a treasure hall that is open sometimes where you can look at historical artifacts and holy relics and statues of Buddhist deities for a fee.
Another bonus I found was that part of the money offerings made will go to an international nature charity. It was unexpected as one would expect the temple to absorb the funds for the upkeep of the grounds and building as well as the services carried out, so it was a pleasant discovery.
Written October 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rita v
Antwerp Province, Belgium61 contributions
May 2019
Wet to visit plenty of temples in Kyoto all have their unique feeling, but one thin they all have in common you can find tranquility in yourself and peace ,become one with nature,, you have to have a purpose to visit them not just for sightseeing but to experience an emptyness
Written July 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jrandalicia
portland,oregpn91 contributions
May 2016
This is a mixed bag. On one hand, this grouping of separate Buddhist temples is an opportunity to see a variety of gardens in one stop, all in a pretty and peaceful forested setting. . But: No single garden approaches the beauty of the likes of Nanzen-ji or Ginkakuji, to name just two. And, each charges its own admission fee, and some prohibit photography. Finally, for most visitors to Kyoto, it will be a long bus or cab ride.
Written June 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PeterC489
London246 contributions
Jun 2014 • Solo
If you are viewing all the temples in the north west of Kyoto, then I would recommend that you persevere to Daikaku-ji. The reason for that advice is that on the way you will see other temples, but this one has variations of shrines, architecture, not to mention colour, plus a large lake. Also, it has many nightingale floors, i.e. the ones which squeak when you walk on them. True, it is a distance, but your bus pass will get you there and back if you don't fancy walking. I did this as sixth out of six temples in one day, so my appetite was lagging, but it was still a great site to see and I am really glad that I went the full distance.
Written July 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lawrence Yuo Hsih Chu
Vancouver, Canada128 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
Daikaku-ji is one of my favourite temples. It's beautiful with the design of the buildings, gardens, and the atmosphere. There is a nice lake, and the stone garden encapsulates the entirety of the grounds. Its quiet despite it's size. There is a heart sutra written by an emperor located on the grounds, you can tell by the bell tied to the small building and the temple. Every 60 years, they open it up to view the heart sutra. We missed it by a few months. It opened on October 2018. In another 60 years, I hope to see this sutra.
In addition, you can trace a heart sutra yourself in one of the buildings. I wanted to do one but we were running out of a time.
I got my 19th goshuin from this place.
In addition, you can trace a heart sutra yourself in one of the buildings. I wanted to do one but we were running out of a time.
I got my 19th goshuin from this place.
Written May 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ricky S
Wagga Wagga, Australia48 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
Unexpected beauty in this temple. We stumbled upon this after visiting Gioji temple. It was worth visiting.
Written April 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James Q
Ascot, UK255 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
Fantastic, well preserved and beautifully maintained temple. There was literally noone there when I visited by bike. So worth the trip.
Written February 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are boat rides for the Harvest Moon Festivals very limited? I have a group of six and we're wondering if it sells out, and if so, is it possible to purchase or reserve tickets in advance.
When does the festival begin?
Any other advice?
Written July 9, 2018
yokurebo
Suita, Japan
The period is from September 22 (Sat) - September 24 (Mon), 2018.
Only today's ticket.You can't make a reservation.
Tickets are sold in front of the gate called "Chokushimon".
One ticket is 1000 yen.One person can buy 4 tickets.
Entrance fee is charged separately.
Tickets are on sale from around 3 pm.A numbered ticket may be distributed before the sales start time.
You can choose boarding time from 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm, 8 pm.
Written August 23, 2018
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