[Temple of Maple Leaves and Moss] How to get to Kyoto's Gion-ji Temple, a hidden gem of beautiful moss and autumn leaves [Kyoto Tourism]

Autumn foliage at Gion-ji Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto

If you are looking to visit a temple with beautiful moss and maples when you go to Kyoto, we would like to introduce you to a hidden gem of a temple.

Gion-ji Temple, a temple quietly located in Arashiyama, Kyoto, is known as a temple associated with the Tale of the Heike, but the moss and maples in its gardens are so beautiful that it is a hidden Kyoto tourist spot that is known only to those in the know.

Gion-ji Temple has wonderful scenery in every season, so it is a temple you should definitely visit if you come to Arashiyama, Kyoto.

We visited during the beautiful autumn maples, but the moss in the gardens of Gion-ji Temple is also wonderful, and you can enjoy the moss all year round.

This time, we would like to introduce you to Gion-ji Temple, a hidden gem of a temple in Kyoto.

How to get to Gion-ji Temple

Gion-ji Temple is located a little north of the central area of ​​Arashiyama, Kyoto, at the foot of a mountain where many temples are located. The nearby roads are very narrow, and only one car can pass through at a time. There is no space to park your car.

There are no parking lots near Gion-ji Temple, so if you are coming by car, you will need to find a paid parking lot in the central area of ​​Arashiyama and then walk from there.

However, please note that it can be difficult to find a parking space even in the center of Arashiyama during the cherry blossom season in spring and the autumn leaves in autumn. If possible, it is recommended to go by city bus or train.

We took a rickshaw from Arashiyama to get there.

Tourism [Rickshaw sightseeing] Recommended for people who don't have time! Sightseeing around Arashiyama’s famous spots by rickshaw [Kyoto Tourism] えびす屋さんの人力車で、京都・嵐山の秋の紅葉観光に行ってきたので、その気になる内容や、値段 / 価格、そして実際に乗ってみた感想などを実体験レビュー！京都・嵐山で楽しむ人力車観光は、格別感があるので、一度は体験してみてほしいアクティビティの一つだ。

Entrance to Gion-ji Temple

This is the entrance to Gion-ji Temple. The gate has a very simple appearance, but from the temple grounds you can see the autumn leaves that are already starting to change color. The gate decorated with moss and maple leaves is very tasteful.

Moss on the thatched roof

The thatched roof of the Gionji Temple gate is covered with a thick layer of moss. The slightly decayed atmosphere gives a sense of the weight of the history that Gionji Temple has accumulated.

Gion-ji Temple opening hours and admission fees

An admission fee is required to enter Gion-ji Temple. Details are as follows:

Gion-ji Temple Garden

When you enter Gion-ji Temple, you will see a small but beautiful garden of autumn leaves and moss. We visited on November 20th.

Although it was late November, it was not yet cold enough, so the leaves had only turned about 50% of their color.

The maple leaves are not bright red, but the gradation from green to yellow-green, orange, and red is beautiful, and it is full of charm that captures the hearts of visitors.

Maple leaves rotting on moss

It had just rained a little, and the moss wet with the rain and dew was sparkling and beautiful, captivating the viewer. In fact, Gion-ji Temple is also known as the Moss Temple. After the light rain, the moss shines brightly, and a vibrant green spreads across it.

The ground in the garden is covered with splendid moss, and the sight of dead maple leaves falling and rotting on the moss is so beautiful that anyone can't help but stare at it for a while.

Sunlight filtering through the autumn leaves

Also, when the sun is visible, the sunlight filtering through the gaps in the maple leaves onto the moss-covered ground is a magnificent sight.

Yes, Gio-ji Temple is a temple that shows us different beautiful aspects of nature, whether it's sunny or rainy.

To the hermitage at the back of Gion-ji Temple

Next, we went to the hermitage at the back of the Gion-ji Temple grounds.

The wooden statues of the principal image Dainichi Nyorai, Kiyomori, Gion, Gion, Hahatoji, and Hotoke Gozen are enshrined here (photography of wooden statues is prohibited), but only the wooden statue of Taira no Kiyomori is placed hidden between the shoji screens.

This is very interesting as it nicely expresses the feminine feelings of Gion and Hotoke Gozen, who are associated with Gion-ji Temple. (At the end, there is a historical explanation about Gion-ji Temple, so if you're interested, please read it.)

Yoshino Window / Rainbow Window

In the back room of this hermitage, there is a large shoji window called the "Yoshino Window."

This "Yoshino Window" is also called the "Rainbow Window" because the lattice of the window intersects with the bamboo grove outside, casting a colorful shadow.

In front of the Yoshino Window, there is a miniature garden-like cutout of a famous spot in Gion-ji Temple.

The connection between the Tale of the Heike and Gio-ji Temple

I would like to briefly introduce the connection between Gio-ji Temple and the Tale of the Heike.

This Gio-ji Temple was originally a nunnery where Gio, a Shirabyoshi (a type of Kabuki that originated in the late Heian to Kamakura period, and the courtesan who performs it), who was favored by Taira no Kiyomori, ended up after being chased out of his mansion due to his change of heart.

It is said that Gio-ji Temple is where she spent the rest of her life chanting Buddhist prayers together with her sister Gion, her mother Toji, and the young Shirabyoshi Hotoke Gozen, who would later join her and who was the reason Gio was abandoned by Taira no Kiyomori.

The summary of "Volume 1: Gion" from the Tale of the Heike (quoted from the official website of Gion-ji Temple) is shown below. Reading this will surely add a deeper meaning to your visit to Gion-ji Temple.

　The first song that Gio wrote, [The grass in the field is the same whether it sprouts or withers, should grow in autumn] has a content that overlaps with the scene of the autumn leaves that are withering and falling outside right now. It makes me feel as if the garden of Gio-ji Temple is dramatically telling that sad story.

Gion-ji Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto, a temple that brings to mind the Tale of the Heike

This time, we introduced Gion-ji Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto, a temple with deep ties to the Tale of the Heike and beautiful moss and maple leaves.

This temple is located quite deep in Arashiyama, so it's not the kind of place you'd just casually drop by; it's a hidden gem of Kyoto that only those in the know will know about.

In recent years, it has been featured on social media and has become a popular destination with tourists from all over the world, but it is still a lovely temple that maintains its tranquility.

The maple leaves and moss at Gion-ji Temple are of course beautiful even if you have no prior knowledge of The Tale of the Heike, but I think that by learning about the tale of the Heike and the stories of the Shirabyoshi dancers Gion and Hotoke Gozen, you will be able to appreciate the beauty of the maple leaves and moss at Gion-ji Temple many times more vividly and impressively.

When you visit Gion-ji Temple, be sure to keep a passage from the Tale of the Heike in your mind as you gaze upon the splendid scenery of autumn leaves, transporting you back to those days. So, make your Kyoto sightseeing trip a memorable one at Gion-ji Temple, which is associated with the Tale of the Heike!