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How to get into this beautiful off-the-beaten-path Kyoto temple earlier than the general public

Getting up early and heading outside the regular tourist circuit could lead to an unforgettable experience this autumn.

When looking at lists of sightseeing spots in Kyoto, there are certain names you’re going to see time and time again. Gion. Arashiyama. Fushimi. And while those districts are justifiably famous for their beautiful teahouses, bamboo grove, and torii-tunnel shrine, being famous also makes them pretty much perpetually crowded.

The trick, then, becomes to look for places in Kyoto that are beautiful but not famous, and one of the best ways to do that is by expanding your itinerary to include parts of the city that aren’t immediately recognized by name to the wider international tourist community, such as Yamashina.

The Yamashina neighborhood isn’t all that far from the city center, as it’s just a five-minute train ride east by local lines from Kyoto Station. However, Yamashina lies beyond Gion, Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, and the other attractions that are commonly thought of by travelers as the eastern edge of downtown Kyoto. That little bit of extra buffer from the package tours gives Yamashina a less congested, more tranquil atmosphere, but it still boasts stunning traditional scenery at Bishamondo Monzeki.

▼ Bishamondo Monzeki

▼ Walking route from Yamashina Station to Bishamondo Monzeki

Originally founded in the year 703, this temple has occupied its current location since 1665. A 15-minute walk north from Yamashina Station, Bishamondo Monzeki is tucked into the foothills of Mt. Bishamon, and its most striking feature is a stone stairway flanked by maple trees, whose falling form a canopy and carpet of crimson once the leaves show their fall colors.

Ordinarily, Bishamondo Monzeki is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the winter months. However, if you’re an early riser, there’s a way to see the temple grounds before they’re open to the general public, via an offer from JR/Japan Railway Company’s EX online travel booking service. This early admission allows you onto the grounds from 8 a.m., and reservations (1,800 yen [US$11] per person) can be made here for November 22, 28, and 29, or December 5. Those dates all fall nicely into the late-November-to-early-December window when Bishamondo Monzeki’s maples usually reach their peak beauty, and if you’re wondering when the rest of Japan’s autumn leaves will be changing color, we’ve got a forecast for that too.

Related: Bishamondo Monzeki official website
Source: PR Times, EX, Bishamondo Monzeki
Images: PR Times
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