Ninna-ji, Buddhist temple in northwest Kyoto, Japan.
Ninna-ji is a Buddhist temple in northwest Kyoto that forms part of a World Heritage ensemble and houses several National Treasures. The grounds include prayer halls with curved roofs, a five-story tower and gardens with ponds and stone formations beneath tall trees.
A ninth-century emperor founded the site, which his son completed a few years later and then led himself as the first monk-priest. Over the centuries the temple remained a place where imperial princes took on religious leadership roles.
The site takes its name from an imperial era and served for centuries as an imperial monastery where princes held the abbacy. This tradition shaped the architecture with wide courtyards and formal buildings that still organize the space today.
The grounds open in the morning and close in the late afternoon, with shorter hours in winter than in summer. Visitors can move freely along the paths and view several buildings from the outside, with some interior spaces accessible for a fee.
In spring the grounds host cherry trees of a special variety that bloom about two weeks later than most others in the city. Visitors can extend the blossom season when flowers elsewhere have already faded.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
