[Hogon-in Temple Illumination 2024] Hogon-in Temple Special Visit [Autumn Foliage Illumination] Guide [Kyoto Arashiyama Sightseeing]

Is it a waste of time to go to Hogon-in Temple to see the illuminated autumn leaves?

Hogon-in Temple has a magnificent Japanese garden, and in the autumn the maple trees are beautifully lit up, making for some spectacular photos, making it one of Kyoto's top spots to see autumn leaves and bustling with tourists every year.

However, in recent years the number of tourists has increased, leading to too many visitors and an increase in negative reviews.

After reading such bad reviews and experiences, some people may be hesitant to go to Hogon-in Temple, thinking that it will be too crowded to take good photos and that it might not be that great.

But I can say this with certainty.

You should go to see the special autumn viewing of illuminated autumn leaves at Hogon-in Temple!

Of course, if you go there without picking a date or time, you might find yourself surrounded by huge crowds, even if you want to take beautiful photos of the autumn leaves. But don't worry, if you choose the right time and season, you'll be able to take beautiful photos of the autumn leaves.

In this article, we would like to introduce some tips and tricks for comfortably viewing the illuminated autumn leaves at Hogon-in Temple during its special autumn viewing.

By the way, the best time to see the autumn leaves in Arashiyama, Kyoto and the illumination period of Hogon-in Temple change every year.

Here, I would like to share with you the dates of Hogon-in Temple's special autumn 2024 viewing period and illumination schedule, details such as how to get to Hogon-in Temple and admission fees, the best time and best time to take beautiful photos, highlights, and more, along with photos of the garden that I actually took with my smartphone. Please use this as reference for your trip to Arashiyama, Kyoto.

Location and Directions to Hogon-in Temple (Access)

Hogon-in Temple is located about a 5-minute walk (approximately 500m) from Togetsukyo Bridge over the Hozu River (Katsura River).

2024 Hogon-in Temple Special Visit Illumination Fees and Times / Seasons and Tips

Hogon-in Temple's special nighttime visit (illumination) is not always held during the autumn special visit period. It is only held for a limited period during the autumn special visit. A separate admission fee is also required.

We visited around November 20th (weekday) after 19:00, so it wasn't very crowded. By the way, the most crowded time is around 17:30-18:00, when the gates are just opened. During peak hours on holidays, the line can stretch all the way to Togetsukyo Bridge, about 500 meters away.

To avoid waiting in line as much as possible, we recommend going on a weekday.

On weekends, national holidays, and other general holidays, you should be prepared to wait in line for quite some time.

If you're going on a holiday, you might want to go early, thinking about the return journey, but we recommend going a little later than the opening time, after 7:00 p.m., so you won't have to wait in line at the gates, and there will be fewer people inside, allowing you to look around at your own pace.

Advance tickets are also available for the Hogon-in Temple illumination, which allows you to enter without having to wait in line at the reception desk, so it's a good idea to purchase one in advance.

What to wear when visiting Hogon-in at night

Now that the entrance procedures are complete, let's go see the Hogon-in Temple illuminations at the garden entrance.

As for what to wear when visiting at night, it can get quite cold at night in Kyoto around late November. We recommend that you wear warm clothes, such as a jacket over your clothes.

A shop located right after entering Hogon-in Temple

Immediately after entering the entrance, there is a shop selling stamp books, postcards, souvenirs, etc. On the wall of this building is a sign that says [Juzudama Awarding Place].

When visiting temples, I think most people collect goshuin stamps.

In fact, at the temples in Kyoto, Shiga, and Hyogo, there is a practice called ``juzu junrei kai,'' where you go around the temples and collect juzu beads with the temple's name engraved on them to make your own juzu.

You can make your own rosary beads by collecting rosary beads with the names of shrines and temples that have been prayed for.

Hogon-in is also a temple that participates in the Juzu Junrei Kai, so you can purchase Hogon-in-specific Juzu balls at this shop.

Even if you can't collect enough to make juzu, it's a good idea to keep juzu balls in your belongings and carry them around as your own personal amulet.

I'm glad that the shops inside the temple are open even during the night viewing hours. If you have a chance, take a look.

Don't miss the vibrant colors! Illuminated autumn leaves at Hogon-in Temple

As you walk along the path to Hogon-in Temple, you will suddenly see the vibrant colors of the maples and other trees lit up.

The lanterns at your feet emit a modern, radial light, and the surrounding trees are also lit up in exquisite colors, with vibrant greens, reds, and oranges.

The lights illuminating the trees are not colored. Amazingly, all of these vibrant colors are natural! The colors that emerge from the lights are so vibrant and beautiful that you can feel a futuristic beauty in the solemn atmosphere.

Maple leaves still green

The photo was taken around November 20th, but many of the illuminated autumn leaves are still green, and some look like they will turn red in the next week or two.

In recent years, I think the best time to see the autumn leaves in Arashiyama, Kyoto is from the last week of November to the first week of December.

Nighttime visit to Hogon-in Temple and illuminated autumn leaves

Some of the trees in the garden have autumn leaves that are quite colorful. The red leaves illuminated in the darkness of night give off a somewhat fantastical and alluring atmosphere.

The moss at Hogon-ji Temple is uniform and beautiful

When you visit Hogon-ji Temple at night (lit up), your eyes will naturally be drawn to the maple leaves on top, but the moss growing on the ground in the garden is also a must-see. The bright green, fluffy and uniform appearance is so beautiful that you will find yourself entranced.

The autumn leaves at Hogon-ji Temple around November 20th are just starting to change color, but in a week or two, the moss will be covered with many red, withered leaves, creating a completely different atmosphere.

Hogon-in Temple's nighttime viewing (light-up) - Shishiku Garden

The garden at Hogon-in Temple is called the Shishiku Garden. It was created by Zen monk Sakuhiko Shuryo, who traveled to China twice during the Muromachi period, and is a stroll-style garden with borrowed scenery that skillfully incorporates the scenery of Arashiyama.

Shishiku means "Buddha preaches," and the garden was created so that you can feel the psychology of life and the right path by strolling through it and listening to the birds and the wind.

During nighttime viewing, you can hardly hear the birds, and you can hear more people, but if you listen carefully, you can definitely hear the sound of the wind.

It's romantic and wonderful to look at the beautiful scenery illuminated by the lights and reminisce about the distant past.

Autumn leaves changing from green to red - best time to see autumn leaves

What I found so beautiful about the autumn leaves at Hogon-in Temple is the gradation that changes from green to yellow, orange, and red.

The trees with all the autumn leaves dyed red are beautiful, but the color of the autumn leaves that are currently changing like this gives a sense of wabi-sabi, and I think it is also very beautiful.

I often get asked by people from overseas, "When is the best time to see autumn leaves in Kyoto?", but the recommended time varies slightly depending on the type of beauty you are looking for.

The appearance of the autumn leaves changes slightly every year, so this advice is based only on previous years, but if you want to take a photo with a beautiful gradation of green mixed in, I recommend visiting around November 20th, and if you want to take a photo with the whole thing dyed red, I recommend visiting around the end of November. (This photo was taken around November 20th.)

Special exhibition of the main hall sliding door paintings

Now, as you walk along the route through the gardens of Hogon-in Temple, you will come across a sign that says [Special exhibition - main hall sliding door paintings]. To enter the main hall, you will need to pay 500 yen per person (300 yen for elementary and junior high school students) in addition to the admission fee.

[Main hall sliding door paintings] are one of the highlights of Hogon-in Temple. This is a chance to see them, so if you have the time, be sure to take a look.

Please note that the [tea ceremony] written under the sign is only open to visitors during the day, and is closed during the Hogon-in Temple illuminations, so it cannot be used.

The main hall of Hogon-in Temple

This Hogon-in temple is a sub-temple of Tenryuji Temple, the head temple of the Tenryuji school of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism.

A sub-temple is a small Zen temple, such as a tower or hermitage, built by the disciples of a large temple or famous temple after the death of the founder or a high priest, in reverence for the virtue of the founder or a high priest.

It was founded in 1461 (Kansho 2) and was originally located in what is now Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, but it was burned down during the Onin War and then rebuilt in the 1500s.

However, in the Meiji period, the land was purchased for river construction work, and it was moved to Kogenji Temple, a sub-temple of Tenryuji Temple.

After that, the current land was purchased and rebuilt in 2002.

Therefore, the current main hall is still a new building.

Since the temple has a very calm atmosphere, I thought it would have a long history like other temples, but it is surprising that the building and facilities themselves are still relatively new.

Sand patterns near the main hall

Before entering the main hall, I took a photo of the sand patterns I found nearby.

Just looking at the sand patterns mysteriously calms the soul, and the maple leaves that have fallen into the sand patterns give a sense of wabi-sabi elegance.

Photography is prohibited in the main hall of Hogon-in Temple, but the sliding door paintings are a must-see!

Let's enter the main hall of Hogon-in Temple by paying 500 yen per person.

In this main hall, you will find a sliding door painting called "Fukawa Sansan San Jizai" by artist Noriko Tamura.

There are 58 sliding door paintings called "Fukawa Sansan San Jizai" in total, which are displayed in a three-room structure, and the colors are painted based on vermilion, which is rare for sliding door paintings, making them unique works.

Photography is not allowed, so I can't show you a photo of the sliding door paintings, but the setting of the sliding door paintings has an exotic touch reminiscent of the Silk Road.

Although Hogon-in Temple is a Japanese temple, the sliding door paintings depict foreign desert landscapes, which will surprise you if you go to see them expecting a purely Japanese style.

In fact, the artist of this sliding door painting is Tamura Noriko, a Western-style painter and muralist who is still alive today.

This sliding door painting is said to be "a beautiful picture book-like depiction of Buddhism, which reached Japan by fusing Eastern and Western cultures via the Silk Road, and the long passage of time in people's lives."

I see, so now I understand why it was painted with a background that resembles the desert and the Silk Road.

You can also purchase postcards of the sliding door painting at the information desk in this main hall. It's a good idea to buy one as a souvenir.

It's a very soft, beautiful and majestic sliding door painting, so it's a must-see. If you have time, be sure to check it out.

Tunnel of Autumn Leaves

After leaving the main hall of Hogon-in Temple, we took one last look around the Shishiku Garden before leaving the temple.

As we left the temple, the surrounding autumn leaves were beautifully lit up, creating what looked like a tunnel of autumn leaves, which was captivating.

Once we passed through this tunnel of autumn leaves, the special illumination tour of Hogon-in Temple came to an end.

Summary of autumn leaves and special night viewing/lighting at Hogon-in Temple

The autumn leaves and special night viewing/lighting at Hogon-in Temple in Arashiyama, Kyoto is a must-see tourist spot when you visit Arashiyama, Kyoto during the autumn leaves season, as the colors of the autumn leaves are very beautiful and the atmosphere of the famous garden [Shishiku Garden] is wonderful and spectacular.

Hogon-in Temple is mainly lit up from mid-November to early December every year, so if you want to go at the best time to see the autumn leaves, it's best to go around the last week of November.

However, it gets incredibly crowded during that time, so it's recommended that you get a ticket in advance and visit with plenty of time if possible.

So, make some fantastic autumn memories with the autumn leaves lit up at night in Arashiyama, Kyoto♪