Daigo-ji
Daigo, Kyoto
8 Dec to 29 Feb
- Daily
- 9:00 to 16:30
Rest of the year
- Daily
- 9:00 to 17:00
Closes at 16:30 from the day after the first Sunday of December to the end of February. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Hours can change in spring.
Source: daigoji.or.jp, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Daigo-ji climbs from the foot of Mount Daigo to its summit, and its five-storey pagoda, finished in 951, is the oldest wooden building in Kyoto Prefecture. Toyotomi Hideyoshi threw his famous cherry blossom party here in 1598, planting 700 trees for it, and he designed the Sanbo-in garden. Kamidaigo, the original temple on the summit, is about an hour's steep climb from the trailhead.
Insider tip
Sanbo-in, the pagoda grounds and the Reihokan museum cost ¥1,500 together or ¥600 each. In the spring season (20 March to the third Sunday of April) the joint ticket is ¥1,800. To climb to Kamidaigo you have to set off by 15:00 (14:00 in winter) and be back down by 17:00. It's a 10-minute walk from exit 2 of Daigo station.
What the guides say about Daigo-ji
Daigo-ji's five-storey pagoda, finished in 951, is the oldest wooden building in Kyoto Prefecture, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi threw his famous cherry blossom party here in 1598. Sanbo-in, the pagoda grounds and the Reihokan museum cost ¥1,500 together (¥1,800 from 20 March to the third Sunday of April). Take JR from Kyoto Station to Yamashina (5 minutes, ¥180), then the Tozai Line to Daigo (about 10), and walk 10 minutes from exit 2. From 20 November to 6 December 2026 the maples are lit from 18:00 to 20:50, and you'll need a separate ¥1,500 ticket. In spring it's on the cherry blossom list.
27. Cherry blossom. Weeping cherries in Kyoto Gyoen start in mid-March. Maruyama Park's old weeping cherry and the trees at Gion Shirakawa are lit after dark, the Philosopher's Path has 360 cherries given by the painter Hashimoto Kansetsu in 1922, and Ninna-ji's low Omuro cherries flower in early to mid-April. Daigo-ji is where Hideyoshi planted 700 trees for his 1598 blossom party. See the cherry blossom collection.
What's on at Daigo-ji
Upcoming events at Daigo-ji, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Daigo-ji Autumn Night Viewing
醍醐寺 秋期夜間拝観
Time 18:00 to 20:50 (last entry 20:10) Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 12 min walk
Daigo-ji lights the maples of the Rinsen pond area, where the red Bentendo and the trees reflect in the water, and the temple buildings round them. Day and night visitors are fully separated, so you'll need a night ticket.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Godairiki-san at Daigo-ji
五大力尊仁王会（醍醐寺）
Time Men from 11:00, women from 13:00 Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 13 min walk from exit 2
In front of the Kondo hall, men try to hold up a 150 kg rice cake and women a 90 kg one for as long as they can. Entrants apply in advance, and you can watch.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Daigo-ji Reihokan Spring Exhibition
醍醐寺霊宝館 春期特別展
Time 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 12 min walk
Timed for the cherry season, the museum shows part of Daigo-ji's 100,000 treasures under a new theme each year, and you can see the cherries in its grounds too. In 2026 the theme was gold and Hideyoshi's dream, with a gold tea bowl said to be his gift.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Mantoe Lantern Service at Daigo-ji
醍醐寺万灯会
Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 10 min walk
Lanterns and paper lanterns line the approach for Daigo-ji's service for the ancestors and the spirits of the dead, and the national treasure Kondo and five-storey pagoda are lit up for the night.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Nearby
Good to know
- What is the address of Daigo-ji?
- 22 Daigo Higashioji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都市伏見区醍醐東大路町22).
- What are the opening hours of Daigo-ji?
- 8 Dec to 29 Feb: Daily 9:00 to 16:30. Rest of the year: Daily 9:00 to 17:00. Closes at 16:30 from the day after the first Sunday of December to the end of February. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Hours can change in spring.
- How do I get to Daigo-ji?
- The nearest station is Daigo (Tozai Line). Daigo-ji is in Daigo, Kyoto.
- How much does Daigo-ji cost?
- Daigo-ji is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Daigo-ji?
- Plan for 2-3 hours.
- When is the best time to visit Daigo-ji?
- Cherry blossom season.
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