ABOUT
About this spot
Tofuku-ji is the head temple of the Rinzai Zen Tofuku-ji school, located in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto. Its mountain name is Enichisan and its main image is Shakyamuni Buddha. It ranks fourth among the Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto, and 25 sub-temples stand within its grounds. It is within walking distance of Tofukuji Station on the Keihan Main Line and the JR Nara Line. The temple was founded in 1236, when the regent Kujo Michiie planned a great temple to serve as the family temple of the Kujo clan. Its name is said to combine one character each from Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji in Nara. The Zen monk Enni (Shoichi Kokushi), who had studied in Song China, became its founding abbot in 1243. Fires in 1319 and 1881 destroyed major buildings, and the present main hall was completed in 1934. The highlight is the Sanmon main gate, a National Treasure that is said to be the oldest surviving Zen temple gate in Japan. Several other buildings, including the Zendo, the Tosu, the bath house and Gessho-mon, are Important Cultural Properties. Tsutenkyo is a roofed bridge spanning the Sengyokukan valley, and the Hojo garden, laid out by Shigemori Mirei in 1939, surrounds the abbot's hall on all four sides and was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty in 2014. Tofuku-ji is one of Kyoto's best-known places for autumn foliage, with many maple trees including the Tsuten maples. Walking the grounds is free, while the Tsutenkyo Bridge and Kaisando Hall, and the Hojo garden, each require an admission fee. Allow one to two hours. Sennyu-ji Temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha are nearby.
Last updated October 22, 2026