Tofukuji Temple is famous as one of the best places to view fall foliage in Kyoto. The highlight of Tofukuji Temple’s fall foliage is the view from the 10m-high stage called Tsutenkyo Bridge. The fall foliage like a sea of clouds laid out before your eyes, and creating a wonderful scenery.
This article will share the highlights of Tofukuji Temple, along with some personal photographs.
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Getting To Tofukuji Temple From Kyoto Station
The most convenient way to reach Tofukuji Temple from Kyoto Station is by train.
STEP
Board the JR Nara Line train for Tofukuji at Kyoto Station.
You’ll find the JR Nara Line for Tofukuji on platform 10.
STEP
Disembark at JR Tofukuji Station.
JR Tofukuji Station is the first station from Kyoto Station, a brief 2-minute journey.
STEP
From the station, then walk about 650m, which takes about 9 minutes .
When exiting the station, turn rigtht and proceed southeast.
Highlights of Tofukuji Temple
The first spot you will see is Gaun Bridge. This bridge also serves as a daily life route for local residents, so you can pass through it without paying an admission fee.
What you can see in the distance from Gaun Bridge is Tsutenkyo Bridge, the most scenic spot at Tofukuji Temple. Tsutenkyo Bridge seen through the fall foliage from this bridge is also a spectacular view point. You can see the scenery as if Tsutenkyo Bridge is floating in a sea of clouds of fall foliage.
After entering Tofukuji Temple and walking for a while, you will find the ticket office for Tsutenkyo Bridge. It may be little hard to find because there’s no English written on the signboard, so please refer to the photo above.
Once inside, you can see fall foliage as far as you can see 360 degrees. The place is filled with trees colored in red, yellow, and orange. It’s beautiful no matter where you take the photo.
The fallen leaves make the ground look like a carpet of red and yellow, making it a spectacular sight.
The collaboration of colorful fallen leaves and moss is also beautiful.
Continuing along the route, you will pass through a valley called Sengokukan. There is a stream filled with red and yellow fallen leaves. It’s also atmospheric.
After passing through the valley, you will reach the Tsutenkyo Bridge side. There are bright red maple leaves here as well, which are beautiful.
The entrance to Tsutenkyo Bridge is right after passing through the valley.
In the center of Tsutenkyo Bridge, there is an observation deck called Tsutendai that extends slightly to the outside.
The view from the observation deck, which is about 10 meters high, is the most spectacular view point. A river flows under Tsutenkyo Bridge, and around 2,000 maple trees are planted along the river, creating a beautiful and colorful landscape during the fall foliage season. Actually, this popular spot was born from cutting down all the cherry trees in Tofukuji Temple around the 14th and 15th centuries. Tsutenkyo Bridge was built to ease the hardships of monks crossing the valley. It became popular as a scenic spot overlooking the 2,000 maple trees that were planted in place of the cherry blossoms.
The yellow maple leaves at the end of the bridge are also beautiful. The gradation with the red maple leaves in the back was photogenic and stunning. The best time to see fall foliage in Tofukuji Temple is usually from mid-November to early December.
Information of Tofukuji Temple
Web Site Official web site (Japanese only)Opening hours 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Phone number +81-75-561-0087
Please check the official website for the latest information.
