Step into Kodai-ji Temple, Kyoto’s quieter alternative to Arashiyama’s bamboo forest, just 10 minutes from Kiyomizu-dera and Gion. Walk through the bamboo grove, less crowded and deeply atmospheric, where the only sound is rustling leaves and creaking stalks. Explore 7 things to do, including Zen gardens, historic teahouses, Kaizando Hall, and subtemple Entoku-in.
Komyo-in, also known as Rainbow Moss Temple, is Kyoto’s best-kept secret for introverts — a quiet sub-temple near Tofuku-ji. Watch light shift through shoji screens, sliding doors, and round windows framing moss, rocks, and raked gravel in the Hashin-tei Zen garden, viewed from the engawa. An uncrowded alternative to Kyoto’s busiest temples for quiet reflection and slow travel.
Steeped in history and culture, Nanzenji Temple 南禅寺 is one of the 5 great Zen temples in Kyoto and occupies a huge piece of land. It offers many attractions that will enchant travelers: a rare Roman-style aqueduct, the largest temple gate in Japan, Zen rock gardens, and stunning autumn colors.
