Sanzenin Temple Autumn Leaves 2026 Confirmed

三千院の紅葉 — Kyoto (Kansai)

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Ohara is a farming valley an hour north of Kyoto Station, and it turns roughly a week ahead of the city temples — usually the first three weeks of November. Sanzenin's image is Yusei-en, a garden where maples stand over an unbroken floor of moss scattered with small stone jizo figures, and beyond it the Ojo Gokuraku-in hall with an Amida triad of 1148 inside. Admission is 700 yen for adults; the temple opens 9:00 to 17:00, and from 8:30 through November.

Background

Sanzenin traces its origin to a hall founded by Saicho on Mount Hiei in 788, and moved several times before settling in Ohara in 1871. It is a monzeki temple, historically headed by a member of the imperial family. The Ojo Gokuraku-in predates the move and shelters an Amida Buddha flanked by two attendants shown kneeling — a rare posture, and a National Treasure.

Getting there

From Kyoto Station, a Kyoto Bus to Ohara takes about an hour and costs 560 yen, running roughly every twenty minutes during the day; the temple is a ten-minute uphill walk from the stop. The faster route in peak season is the Karasuma subway to Kokusaikaikan, then Kyoto Bus 19 for about twenty minutes.

Tips

• Ohara peaks earlier than central Kyoto — the first half of November is the target here, not the end of the month.
• The subway-plus-bus route avoids most of the road congestion that builds on the direct bus from Kyoto Station.
• Hosen-in and Jikko-in, both a short walk away, frame their gardens through the open front of a hall and serve matcha while you sit with it.
• The lane up from the bus stop is lined with pickle shops selling shiba-zuke, the Ohara specialty, and is part of the visit rather than a detour.

Last verified against the official source: Sat, September 12, 2026