8 best Kyoto temples and gardens for stunning autumn night illuminations

November 1–December 14, 6pm–9.30pm (last entry 9pm)

One of Kyoto’s many Unesco World Heritage Sites, Toji Temple was founded during the Heian period, around the time Kyoto became Japan’s capital in the late 8th century. Originally, it marked the southern entrance to the city. Today, it’s beloved for its grand wooden halls and majestic five‑storey pagoda, the tallest wooden tower in Japan.

This autumn, the Shingon Esoteric Buddhist temple is hosting a special night visit, giving you the chance to admire its elegant buildings and the vibrant autumn foliage of around 200 red momiji trees bathed in illumination. The iconic pagoda will glow in striking red hues, with its reflection shimmering on the nearby Hyotan Pond, creating a truly mesmerising sight

Additionally, both the Kondo main hall and Kodo lecture hall are open to visitors. Don’t miss the latter, where you can walk around the three-dimensional mandala for a complete, immersive view.

Tickets are ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children. More details here.

Fri–Sun and holidays from October 24–December 14, 6.30pm–9pm (last entry 8.30pm)

Founded in 888, Ninnaji is the head temple of the Omuro school of Shingon Buddhism. Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, this venerable Kyoto attraction is cherished for its elegant architecture, including the Kondo (Main Hall), Kannon Hall and five-storey pagoda, all of which will be beautifully illuminated for a special autumn night visit.

After sundown, the temple grounds and garden will come aglow with atmospheric lights and a breathtaking ‘sea of clouds’ mist installation that adds a dreamlike quality to the historical setting. With the fog drifting along walkways, it’ll feel like you’re stepping into a fantastical, surreal landscape.

Admission is ¥2,800 (free for high school students and younger). A ¥3,300 combined ticket offers access to both the illuminations as well as the Kannon Hall night visit. Tickets can be purchased at the door. More details here.

Note: The temple will be closed on October 31 and on November 1, 16, 23, 29 and 30.

November 21–December 14, 5pm–7.30pm (last entry 7pm)

One of Arashiyama’s quieter yet no less impressive temples, Rokuoin’s special autumn night opening offers a serene alternative to Kyoto’s busier attractions at this time of year. As attendance is limited to just 150 visitors per night, it’s always fully booked, so get in your reservations early.

In the evening, the historical Zen temple’s elegant grounds are beautifully illuminated, with warm lights accentuating the vibrant autumn foliage, bamboo groves, pine and mokkoku trees. Particularly striking are the stone-paved entrance path lined with crimson momiji trees and the flat-style karesansui dry landscape garden, the first of its kind in Japan.

During these special visits, you can also enjoy a unique matcha experience served according to the Hayami School of Tea, a refined style originally created for court nobles by tea master Sotatsu Hayami in the mid-to-late Edo period and. The tea ceremony is accompanied by a display of special tea bowls, including a heritage piece made from stone from the Berlin Wall.

Entry is ¥3,500 per person, inclusive of the tea ceremony. Reservations must be made online in advance. More details here.

December 15–23 5pm–9pm (last entry 8.30pm), Dec 24–25 until 8.30pm (8pm)

The sprawling Zen temple complex of Myoshinji is home to several sub-temples, and the most beloved of them, Taizoin Temple, is hosting a unique illumination event for just 11 days this December.

Two of the temple’s exquisite gardens will look unusually dreamy when bathed in soft blue light. Motoshin, a Muromachi-period (1336–1573) dry landscape garden, is nationally recognised as a Place of Scenic Beauty and a Historic Site, while Yokoen, which centres around the Hyotan Pond, was designed by the renowned landscape artist Kanesaku Nakane.

What makes this night opening truly special is the exhibition of Hikari-Bori art by Osaka-born Yurukawa Fuu. This distinctive art form, whose name loosely translates as ‘light carving’, involves melting, shaping and carving styrofoam surfaces to create imagery that appears three-dimensional when illuminated from behind. The works also emit an ethereal blue glow, giving the temple interior a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.

Tickets are ¥2,500 in advance or ¥3,000 on the day. For more details, visit the exhibition website.

November 22–24, Nov 29–30, Dec 6–7, 6pm–8.30pm (last entry 8pm)

Originally built in 998 as a holiday retreat for a high-ranking politician, Byodoin Temple is a masterpiece of Buddhist Pure Land architecture. Its most iconic feature, the Phoenix Hall, is one of temple's rare surviving structures from the Heian period. Today, this majestic hall is immortalised on the back of the Japanese ten-yen coin.

For just three weekends this autumn, you’ll get to explore this Unesco World Heritage Site after dark. With daily admissions capped at 1,500 people, you can expect a more relaxing experience here.

​​During the evening illuminations, the temple garden – with its vibrant crimson momiji – will be lit up beautifully, as will the Phoenix Hall. While you can’t enter the hall at night, the building’s red glow and its reflection on the pond create a truly spectacular sight. The Hoshokan Museum, however, will be open, so you can check out some of the temple’s priceless artifacts.

Tickets for this special evening visit cost ¥1,500 for adults and ¥1,000 for elementary to high school students. Advance online reservation is required. More details here.

November 15–December 7, 5.30pm–8.30pm (last entry 8pm)

Founded in 1175, Konkai Komyo-ji (more affectionately known as Kurodani Temple) is one of the eight head temples of the Jodo sect. Many areas of the temple that are usually closed to the public are open for a limited time in autumn, when the compound looks especially stunning illuminated at night.

After sundown, the temple grounds – including the Mieido Hall, Sanmon Gate and bell tower – are beautifully lit up. The illuminated autumn leaves appear even more enchanting reflected on the mirror-like surface of the Shiun Garden pond. Thanks to the temple’s elevated location, you can even enjoy sweeping views of the glowing Kyoto cityscape and surrounding mountains in the distance.

But there’s more than just mesmerising scenery. Inside the main worship hall, where the statues of Kibi Kannon and Monju Bosatsu are enshrined, traditional Japanese music performances are held three times each evening.

For a deeper appreciation of this historical temple, consider joining the Premium Evening Viewing Plan (¥2,000) on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, which offers early entry at 5pm along with a guided tour. A similar Early Entry Plan (¥1,500) is also available Monday through Thursday.

Tickets are ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children. More details here.

November 22–December 7, until 9.30pm (last entry 9pm)

Perched on a hillside with views of the city, Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto’s most breathtaking temples. Its lush grounds are especially stunning in autumn, when the momiji trees surrounding the 1,200-year-old temple turn scarlet.

The best time to experience this picturesque sight is during the temple’s special autumn night openings. For about two weeks, Kiyomizu-dera stays open until 9.30pm, allowing visitors to see the temple seemingly floating amid a sea of glowing red leaves, with the Kyoto skyline shimmering in the background.

The temple grounds, including the Jojuin Garden, are beautifully illuminated, while a striking blue beam of light shoots into the sky to symbolise the compassion of Kannon, the goddess of mercy enshrined here

There’s no special ticket for the night visit, just the regular admission of ¥500.

November 15–30, 5.30pm–9.30pm (last entry 9pm)

Located near Kyoto Station and just 300 metres from the majestic Higashi Honganji Temple, the little-known Shoseien Garden has a history dating back to the Heian period in the 9th century. This autumn, the exquisite Japanese garden will open for a limited-time evening visit, with a mesmerising ‘sea of clouds’ effect that transforms the grounds into a mystical, floating world.

For this special event, the normally closed Rinchitei and Tekisuiken pavilions will be open. From Rinchitei, you can admire the illuminated garden and autumn foliage as well as the surreal sea of clouds drifting across the pond, all with Kyoto Tower rising in the background.

You can also enjoy a scenic walk through the well-manicured landscape along lantern-lit pathways stretching from the Lotus Fountain in front of Higashi Honganji to Shoseien’s West Gate entrance. This makes for a magical nighttime stroll without venturing far from the heart of Kyoto.

Tickets are ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for high school and junior high school students. Elementary school kids and younger can enter for free. More details here.