Tofuku-ji Temple

Tofuku-ji is one of the great Zen temples of Kyoto, and in mid to late November it is the city's most famous place to see autumn leaves. It was founded in 1236 by the priest Enni Ben'en as the head temple of its own branch of Rinzai Zen, and its name joins the first characters of two great temples of Nara, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji, reflecting the founder's ambition. It became one of Kyoto's Five Great Zen Temples, and the scale of its grounds, with more than twenty sub-temples, still conveys that status. The Sanmon, the main gate, is about 22 meters tall, built in 1425, and is the oldest Zen main gate in Japan and a National Treasure; nearby stand a medieval bathhouse and other historic service buildings that show how a working Zen monastery functioned. The temple's signature view is from the Tsutenkyo, a covered wooden bridge spanning a small ravine called the Sengyokukan, filled with around two thousand maple trees. In autumn the valley becomes a sea of red, orange and gold, viewed from the bridge as if from a balcony. The other reason to come is the Hojo, the abbot's quarters, surrounded on four sides by gardens designed in 1939 by Shigemori Mirei, a pioneer of modern Japanese garden design. His dry gardens reimagine Zen tradition with bold geometry: raked gravel and standing stones to the south, and to the north a famous checkerboard of moss and square paving stones that fades away into the greenery. The temple grounds are free to walk, while the Tsutenkyo area and the Hojo gardens each charge a modest fee. Grounds open from early morning, with the paid areas keeping shorter hours.

Autumn strategy. The Tsutenkyo during peak foliage is one of the most crowded spots in Kyoto, with lines and a one-way flow on the bridge, a seasonal surcharge, and staff who may restrict stopping or photography on the bridge itself at the busiest times. Arrive at opening, or visit on a weekday, and photograph the bridge from the neighboring Gaun-kyo bridge, which looks back across the valley. Better still, visit outside peak autumn weeks: in early November or in the soft green of May and June, the ravine is quieter, the moss gardens glow, and you can linger.

The Hojo gardens reward a slow walk around all four sides. The south garden's raked gravel and upright stones represent the islands of the immortals and the holy mountains, while the west garden uses clipped azaleas and sand in a grid, and the north garden's checkerboard is one of the most photographed garden designs in Japan. The east garden arranges old foundation stones to form the Big Dipper. Together they show how a twentieth-century designer could reinvent a medieval art form, a useful counterpoint to Ryoan-ji's ancient rock garden.

Tofuku-ji is on the southern edge of Higashiyama, about ten minutes' walk from Tofukuji Station on the JR Nara line and the Keihan line, and one stop from Inari, so it pairs perfectly with Fushimi Inari Taisha: hike the torii gates early, then come here midmorning. Allow ninety minutes for the bridge, the gardens and the gate, and longer in autumn when lines form. Sub-temples nearby open their own gardens to visitors, some seasonally, if you want to escape the crowds. Sub-temples such as Komyo-in, known for its own moss and stone garden, are worth seeking out if the main bridge is overwhelmed. And if you can only manage one autumn foliage spot in southeast Kyoto, Tofuku-ji is the one that tends to justify the effort, provided you get there early.