Hotels near Tofuku-ji

Tofuku-ji is one of Kyoto's five great Zen temples - founded in 1236 and famous for the Tsutenkyo Bridge that spans a maple-filled valley below. In mid-November, the 2,000 maple trees turn vermilion and orange and the bridge becomes the single most photographed autumn scene in Japan. The temple's Hojo abbot's hall has four moss-and-stone gardens by Mirei Shigemori (1939) - the most important modern Japanese garden design.

Entry is JPY 600 (Hojo gardens) plus JPY 600 (Tsutenkyo Bridge during koyo season). The site is huge - 25 sub-temples spread across 50 hectares. Tofuku-ji's main gate (Sanmon, 1425) is the oldest Zen gate in Japan and a National Treasure.

Pro Tip: Visit Tofuku-ji at 8.30am in mid-November when the maples peak - by 10am the Tsutenkyo Bridge becomes a slow-moving photo queue. Outside autumn, Tofuku-ji is one of Kyoto's emptiest major temples and the gardens are still beautiful.