Nanzen-ji
Okazaki, Kyoto
1 Dec to 29 Feb
- Daily
- 8:40 to 16:30
Rest of the year
- Daily
- 8:40 to 17:00
Hours are for the Hojo garden and the Sanmon. Last entry 20 minutes before closing. Closed to visitors from 28 to 31 December, open over the New Year.
Source: nanzenji.or.jp, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Nanzen-ji is the head temple of the Nanzen-ji school of Rinzai Zen. Its 22 m Sanmon gate, rebuilt in 1628, has a balcony you can climb, and the Hojo is a National Treasure whose dry garden, credited to Kobori Enshu, is nicknamed the tiger cubs crossing. Out in the grounds, a red-brick aqueduct carries the Lake Biwa Canal, finished in 1890, past the temple.
More photos of Nanzen-ji
Insider tip
The Hojo garden and the Sanmon cost ¥600 each. Nanzen-in, the subtemple, is shut for repairs until spring 2027 apart from a special opening from 1 to 30 November 2026 (¥500). On some November weekends and holidays there's an early visit from 7:30, booked online, for ¥3,000.
What the guides say about Nanzen-ji
Okazaki is Kyoto's museum quarter, round Heian Shrine, with Nanzen-ji a walk east along the Lake Biwa Canal. The Westin Miyako Kyoto is by Keage Station and runs a free bus from Kyoto Station that takes about 25 minutes, and Yachiyo, a ryokan, stands right beside Nanzen-ji. By subway, Higashiyama Station's about 15 minutes from Kyoto Station, changing at Karasuma Oike.
13. Okazaki and the canal. Nanzen-ji's 22 m Sanmon has a balcony you can climb (¥600), and a red-brick aqueduct carries the Lake Biwa Canal past the temple. Walk the rails of the Keage Incline, 582 m of old boat railway, for free. Murin-an lets in 15 people at a time on hourly slots you book online.
What's on near Nanzen-ji
Upcoming events within a ten-minute walk of Nanzen-ji, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Eikan-do Autumn Treasure Exhibition
永観堂 秋の寺宝展
Time 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:00) Station Nanzenji Eikando-michi bus stop (City Bus 5), 3 min walk
Eikan-do brings out Important Cultural Properties from its collection while its roughly 3,000 maples turn. The ¥1,500 ticket includes the garden, and the nearest bus stop, Nanzenji Eikando-michi, closes at the busiest times.
Tetsuhiro Terada, CC BY 2.0 Kyoto City Zoo Autumn Night Opening
京都市動物園 秋の夜間開園
Time 10 to 12, 17, 24 and 31 Oct and 7 Nov, open to 20:00 (last entry 19:30) Station Keage (Tozai Line), 7 min walk
On seven autumn days the zoo stays open until 20:00 and is lit after dark, with keeper talks at 17:30, 18:00 and 18:30 and an outdoor film at 19:00 from 12 Oct. Entry is the usual ¥750, free for junior high school students and younger, and gorillas, monkeys and some birds aren't on show at night.
inunami, CC BY 2.0 Sumitomo Shunsui: 100 Years On
特別展 没後100年記念 住友春翠 －仕合せの住友近代美術コレクション
Time 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30), closed Mondays (open 23 Nov) and 24 Nov Station Miyanomae-cho bus stop (City Bus 32, 105), 1 min walk
A centenary show for Sumitomo Shunsui, the 15th head of the Sumitomo family, whose collecting laid the museum's foundations, with Japanese and Western paintings and crafts including Monet's Parc Monceau and Fujishima Takeji's Sachi aru asa. Under-18s get in free, and the ticket covers the Bronze Gallery of ancient Chinese bronzes too.
Awata Matsuri
粟田神社大祭（粟田祭）
Time Night lantern procession 11 Oct from 17:00, kenboko procession 12 Oct from 10:00 Station Higashiyama (Tozai Line), 7 min walk
Awata Shrine's main festival runs for six days. Come on the evening of 11 Oct for the Awata Daitoro, big painted lanterns paraded through the parish, or on 12 Oct from 10:00 for the kenboko halberds, said to be the forerunners of the Gion Matsuri floats.
Awata Matsuri
粟田神社大祭（粟田祭）
Time Yowatari from 17:00 (Sun), procession from 10:00 (Sports Day) Station Higashiyama (Tozai Line), 7 min walk
Awata Shrine's festival runs over the Sports Day weekend. The Oide-matsuri is on the Saturday evening and the Yowatari night procession on the Sunday, and on Sports Day kenboko halberds, said to be the forerunners of the Gion Matsuri floats, go out ahead of the mikoshi. The main rite follows on 15 October.
Nearby
Around Okazaki
Art museums, Meiji gardens and Nanzen-ji along the Lake Biwa Canal
Okazaki is Kyoto's museum quarter. Two art museums sit either side of the approach to Heian Shrine, by its giant torii, and the zoo, a crafts museum and ROHM Theatre Kyoto are a few minutes away round Okazaki Park. Follow the Lake Biwa Canal east and you're at Nanzen-ji, with Eikan-do and Murin-an a short walk from its gate.
Okazaki has 27 places on the Roam Kyoto map: 9 shrines and temples, 6 museums, 4 restaurants, 2 cafes, 2 shops, 2 landmarks and 2 parks and gardens. Read the Okazaki guide.
Good to know
- What is the address of Nanzen-ji?
- Nanzenji Fukuchicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都府京都市左京区南禅寺福地町).
- What are the opening hours of Nanzen-ji?
- 1 Dec to 29 Feb: Daily 8:40 to 16:30. Rest of the year: Daily 8:40 to 17:00. Hours are for the Hojo garden and the Sanmon. Last entry 20 minutes before closing. Closed to visitors from 28 to 31 December, open over the New Year.
- How do I get to Nanzen-ji?
- The nearest station is Keage (Tozai Line). Nanzen-ji is in Okazaki, Kyoto.
- How much does Nanzen-ji cost?
- Nanzen-ji is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Nanzen-ji?
- Plan for 1-2 hours.
- When is the best time to visit Nanzen-ji?
- Weekday mornings.
Stay near Nanzen-ji
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