Kennin-ji Gardens
This season's opening
One-night autumn evening tour
- Hours
- Sunday Nov 8 only, 17:30–19:00 (about 90 min). Meet at the main reception
- Admission
- ¥5,000
- Booking
- Booking requiredAdvance booking only, via the online form (no phone bookings)
An hour-long tour led by a monk: the Wind and Thunder Gods screen (high-resolution replica), the lit Choon-tei garden, the Circle-Triangle-Square garden and the twin-dragon ceiling of the Dharma Hall, then free time until 19:00
This is the only evening event this autumn. It ends at 19:00, which leaves time for dinner in Gion
About the garden
In the middle of Gion, a courtyard garden you can view from all four sides. Best on a rainy day, sitting on tatami and comparing the four views.
Where to stand
Choon-tei has no back: the main stone changes with where you sit. The Circle-Triangle-Square garden encodes the elements of the universe in a well, a sand mound and a paving stone.
Practical notes
Shoes off, tatami viewing. The double dragon ceiling painting is in the Hatto hall. Easy to pair with a walk through Gion and Yasaka.
Tea and food nearby
Small places within walking distance. Check their opening days against the garden's.
- ☾ Open after the evening viewing4 min walk🍶 BarGion Samboa (bar)
A bar in a Kyoto townhouse just north of Kennin-ji, made for one drink at the counter. Open until 22:00 even on Sundays, so it works after the 8 Nov evening viewing ends at 19:00. Smoking allowed; no reservations.
- ☾ Open after the evening viewing7 min walk🍽 FoodGion Okaru (udon)
An udon shop in a Gion lane since 1925. At night it stays open into the small hours and fills with people who work in Gion, which makes it an easy late supper after an evening viewing.
Order：Ankake udon, or the cheese-and-beef curry udon
11:00–15:00, 17:00–2:00 (Fri until 2:30, Sat until 3:00). Sunday lunch onlyClosed: Sunday evenings¥1,000–2,000Details ↗ - 5 min walk☕ CafeGion Ishi tea room
A tea room upstairs from a stone shop on Shijo-dori. The lift takes you away from the street noise to a sepia-toned room where you can talk over the gardens.
Order：Lemon jelly
11:30–19:00 (last order 18:30)Closed: Wednesdays and Thursdays (open alternate Thursdays)¥1,000–2,000Details ↗ - 7 min walk☕ CafeKiritoshi Shinshindo (kissaten)
A 13-seat coffee shop in a Gion side street since 1946. It opens at 10:00, a good meeting point before a round of the Kennin-ji sub-temples.
Order：Ham toast sandwich