Tofuku-ji Temple
Kyoto Travel Packages
Compare quotes from upto 3 travel agents for free
9 Day Japan Tour: Fixed Departure
Tokyo(3N) → Kyoto(2N) → Osaka(3N)
Sold By:
Tour Designer(4.8
)
Japan 15 Days
Tokyo(5N) → Kyoto(4N) → Osaka(4N) → Hiroshima(1N)
Japan Explorer: 8 Nights Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka Adventure
Tokyo(3N) → Kyoto(2N) → Osaka(3N)
Customized Holiday in Japan
Tokyo(4N) → Kyoto(2N) → Osaka(2N)
9-Day Japan Highlights: Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto, and Osaka Adventure
East of Tokyo(3N) → Fujikawaguchiko(1N) → Kyoto(2N) → Osaka...
Japan Highlights: 6 Nights Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, Kyoto and Osaka Tour
Tokyo(2N) → Kyoto(2N) → Osaka(2N)
"Home to Japan's oldest surviving temple gate and a valley of maples crossed by a wooden bridge."
Tofuku-ji Temple, Kyoto Overview
Tofuku-ji is a Rinzai Zen temple in southeastern Kyoto founded in 1236 by imperial chancellor Kujo Michiie, and counted among the city's five great Zen temples. Its 22-meter Sanmon gate, built in 1425, is the oldest surviving temple gate in Japan and a National Treasure. The complex holds 24 sub-temples and gardens redesigned by landscape architect Mirei Shigemori in 1939. The wooden Tsutenkyo Bridge spans a maple-filled valley and draws large crowds during November foliage season. Standard tickets cover the bridge, Hojo rock gardens, and Kaisando Hall.
Tofuku-ji was established in 1236 by chancellor Kujo Michiie, with the monk Enni, trained in Rinzai Zen in China, installed as founding priest. Its name combines characters from Nara's Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji temples. The complex once held up to 53 sub-temples; 24 remain today. The main hall was rebuilt in 1917 after an 1881 fire, while the Sanmon gate has survived since 1425. Mirei Shigemori's 1939 gardens surround the Hojo with contrasting checkerboard, rock, and moss designs, and the temple also preserves Japan's oldest communal toilet from the Muromachi period. It is open year-round, with reduced hours in winter.
