2026.05.18
Blog
Exploring Kyoto's Beautiful Green Maples and Hydrangeas
Fresh Green Maples
Hello, this is Imazu.
Today, I'd like to share a few beautiful places in Kyoto
where you can enjoy fresh green maples and hydrangeas during this season.
If you love nature and seasonal scenery, these spots are definitely worth a visit!
Today, I'd like to share a few beautiful places in Kyoto
where you can enjoy fresh green maples and hydrangeas during this season.
If you love nature and seasonal scenery, these spots are definitely worth a visit!
- Nanzen-ji Temple: A great spot to enjoy fresh green maples and pine trees at this time of year.
- Eikan-do Temple: Known for its stunning autumn leaves, but the fresh green maples are also worth seeing.
- The head priest of Tofuku-ji Temple says that the fresh green maple season is even better than the autumn leaf season.
A Visit to Saiho-ji Temple, Kyoto's Famous Moss Temple
- This year marks the 1,300th anniversary of Saiho-ji Temple.
- Known as the "Garden of Tuning and Inspiration," Saiho-ji Temple is a place where you can calm your mind through sutra copying and a peaceful walk through the garden.
- Originally a villa of Prince Shōtoku, this temple features one of Japan's earliest dry landscape gardens from the Muromachi period. Today, it is known as the "Moss Temple" because more than 120 species of moss grow throughout the garden.
A beautiful garden filled with fresh green maples and moss.
- Entoku-in Temple is a sub-temple of Kodaiji Temple and is connected to Kita-no-Mandokoro, the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It is also known as the place where she spent her final years.
- At Obai-in, a sub-temple of Daitoku-ji Temple, visitors can enjoy views of Jikuchu-tei, a garden attributed to the famous tea master Sen no Rikyu.
- Ruriko-in Temple in Yase is known for its beautiful garden filled with maple trees and moss.
A Visit to Kyoto's Famous Hydrangea and Iris Spots
- Mimuroto-ji Temple is famous for its beautiful hydrangeas.
- Shinnyo-do Temple is famous for its many different kinds of hydrangeas.
- Founded about 1,800 years ago, Fujinomori Shrine is known as the birthplace of the Iris Festival and as a shrine dedicated to victory. It is also famous as a guardian shrine for horses, attracting even more attention in this Year of the Horse.
- Enjoy Beautiful Hydrangeas Around Kyoto City Hall
- Heian Jingu Shrine is home to a beautiful pond-centered strolling garden covering about 33,000 square meters. Created by the famous garden designer Jihei Ogawa VII, it is one of Kyoto's most celebrated Japanese gardens. Although there are no hydrangeas, the garden's 200 varieties of irises are well worth seeing.
- Hokongo-in Temple is famous for its lotus flowers, but in early summer, visitors can also enjoy beautiful irises and hydrangeas in the garden.
Kyoto City Hall
488 Kamihonnoji-mae-cho, Teramachi-dori Oike-agaru,
Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 604-8571
Kyoto City Hall Station (Tozai Subway Line), Sanjo Station (Keihan Railway)
https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/
Heian Shrine
97 Okazaki Nishitenno-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 606-8341
10-minute walk from Higashiyama Station (Tozai Subway Line)
https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/english/
Eikan-do Temple
48 Eikando-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 606-8445
3-minute walk from Nanzenji Eikando-michi bus stop (Kyoto City Bus Route 5 from JR Kyoto Station)
https://www.eikando.or.jp/English/index_eng.html
Nanzenji Temple
〒606-8435
Nanzenji Fukuchi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Take Kyoto City Bus Route 5 from JR Kyoto Station and
get off at "Nanzenji Eikando-michi" bus stop, then a 10-minute walk.
https://www.nanzenji.or.jp/
Oubaiin Temple
83-1 Murasakino Daitokuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto City
Get off at "Daitokuji-mae" bus stop, then a 5-minute walk.
https://kyotoshunju.com/en/temple_oubaiin/
Shinnyo-do Temple
〒606-8414 82 Jodoji Shinnyo-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Get off at "Shinnyo-do-mae" or "Kinrin Shako-mae" bus stop,
then approximately an 8-minute walk.
https://shin-nyo-do.jp/
Entoku-in Temple
530 Kodaiji Shimogawara-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City
5-minute walk from Higashiyama Yasui bus stop (Kyoto City Bus 206)
https://www.kodaiji.com/entoku-in/e_index.html
Saiho-ji Temple: Visiting requires prior application by return postcard
56 Matsuo Kamigaya-cho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto City 615-8286
2-3 minute walk from the last stop "Koke-dera Suzumushi-dera" (approximately 1 hour bus ride)
https://saihoji-kokedera.com/
Hokongo-in Temple
49 Hanazono Ogino-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City 616-8044
Approximately 5-minute walk from Hanazono Station on the JR Sagano-Sanin Line.
http://houkongouin.com/
Rurikoin Temple
55 Kamitakano Higashiyama, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Keihan Railway "Demachiyanagi" Station (transfer) Get off at Eizan Railway "Yase-Hieizanguchi" Station, 13-minute walk
http://rurikoin.komyoji.com/
Fujinomori Shrine
609 Fukakusa Toriizaki-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 612-0864
5-minute walk from JR Fujinomori Station
https://fujinomorijinjya.or.jp/
Tofuku-ji Temple
778 Honmachi 15-chome, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0981
10-minute walk from JR/Keihan Railway Tofuku-ji Station; 4-minute walk from City Bus Tofuku-ji Station
https://tofukuji.jp/
Mimurotoji Temple
21 Udo Shigatani, Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture 611-0013
15-minute walk from Keihan Mimurotoji Station
https://www.mimurotoji.com/
Hydrangea photo courtesy of Kyoto Free Photo Collection.
Copyright © 2025 Kyoto Free Photo Collection. Thank you.
488 Kamihonnoji-mae-cho, Teramachi-dori Oike-agaru,
Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 604-8571
Kyoto City Hall Station (Tozai Subway Line), Sanjo Station (Keihan Railway)
https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/
Heian Shrine
97 Okazaki Nishitenno-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 606-8341
10-minute walk from Higashiyama Station (Tozai Subway Line)
https://www.heianjingu.or.jp/english/
Eikan-do Temple
48 Eikando-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 606-8445
3-minute walk from Nanzenji Eikando-michi bus stop (Kyoto City Bus Route 5 from JR Kyoto Station)
https://www.eikando.or.jp/English/index_eng.html
Nanzenji Temple
〒606-8435
Nanzenji Fukuchi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Take Kyoto City Bus Route 5 from JR Kyoto Station and
get off at "Nanzenji Eikando-michi" bus stop, then a 10-minute walk.
https://www.nanzenji.or.jp/
Oubaiin Temple
83-1 Murasakino Daitokuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto City
Get off at "Daitokuji-mae" bus stop, then a 5-minute walk.
https://kyotoshunju.com/en/temple_oubaiin/
Shinnyo-do Temple
〒606-8414 82 Jodoji Shinnyo-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Get off at "Shinnyo-do-mae" or "Kinrin Shako-mae" bus stop,
then approximately an 8-minute walk.
https://shin-nyo-do.jp/
Entoku-in Temple
530 Kodaiji Shimogawara-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City
5-minute walk from Higashiyama Yasui bus stop (Kyoto City Bus 206)
https://www.kodaiji.com/entoku-in/e_index.html
Saiho-ji Temple: Visiting requires prior application by return postcard
56 Matsuo Kamigaya-cho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto City 615-8286
2-3 minute walk from the last stop "Koke-dera Suzumushi-dera" (approximately 1 hour bus ride)
https://saihoji-kokedera.com/
Hokongo-in Temple
49 Hanazono Ogino-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City 616-8044
Approximately 5-minute walk from Hanazono Station on the JR Sagano-Sanin Line.
http://houkongouin.com/
Rurikoin Temple
55 Kamitakano Higashiyama, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City
Keihan Railway "Demachiyanagi" Station (transfer) Get off at Eizan Railway "Yase-Hieizanguchi" Station, 13-minute walk
http://rurikoin.komyoji.com/
Fujinomori Shrine
609 Fukakusa Toriizaki-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 612-0864
5-minute walk from JR Fujinomori Station
https://fujinomorijinjya.or.jp/
Tofuku-ji Temple
778 Honmachi 15-chome, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 605-0981
10-minute walk from JR/Keihan Railway Tofuku-ji Station; 4-minute walk from City Bus Tofuku-ji Station
https://tofukuji.jp/
Mimurotoji Temple
21 Udo Shigatani, Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture 611-0013
15-minute walk from Keihan Mimurotoji Station
https://www.mimurotoji.com/
Hydrangea photo courtesy of Kyoto Free Photo Collection.
Copyright © 2025 Kyoto Free Photo Collection. Thank you.
