This mountainside temple has lacquer so shiny-clean that it turns into magic mirrors!
Rurikoin Temple sits at the base of north-eastern Kyoto's Mount Hiei, near the sight of one of ancient Japan's biggest battles, which took place back in the 7th century. But these days, people gather in this area not for war, but to see one of Kyoto's most beautiful temple gardens, which only opens for a few months each year in spring and autumn. Built fairly recently throughout the mid-20th century, the buildings that make up modern-day Rurikoin Temple are almost like a mountainside villa, with multiple floors of beautiful architecture to admire, and two different gardens – the Ruri no Niwa and Garyo no Niwa.
Carefully protected as an important cultural property, this temple only started opening to the public in 2015, which might be why it has gained intense popularity among domestic travelers, but hasn't quite made itself known among international sightseers yet. That means that interested travelers should aim to visit on a weekday, because during the few weekends when the temple is open every year, lines can grow long (and visitors might find themselves waiting for even a couple of hours) ー all this despite the particularly high price of admission (2,000 yen).
So, what is it that makes Rurikoin Temple worth all the effort? Well, the gardens are beautiful, with the green moss-colored ground of the Ruri no Niwa, and a riot of colorful leaves that turn the trees red and yellow as the seasons change each fall. But the gardens aren't just lovely on their own, they also play perfectly with the rooms inside the temple. Particularly famous is Rurikoin's "yuka momiji" (床紅葉), which literally means "floor maples," although here it refers to the surface of a table instead.
On the temple's second floor, the smooth lacquered surface of a large table perfectly reflects the colorful trees outside as light shines in through the window. The image created is a scene that's so magical and stunning, every fall pictures from Rurikoin tend to take over the Japanese internet, making the temple into an Instagram star.
Of course, the temple has other charms as well, and visitors shouldn't miss the chance to explore the temple and find the less famous (but still beautiful) spots, like the living room space and a garden teahouse. There's also the option to pay extra fees and try calligraphy by copying over Buddhist sutras, or enjoy a cup of rich matcha while sitting in an open room facing the Ruri no Niwa garden. Between November and December, the temple has also sometimes offered special nighttime viewing tickets, where just 150 people per day can see the gardens lit up in the dark!
For the Kyoto traveler with a little extra time and money to spare, Rurikoin Temple and its beautiful gardens are a clear choice to add to the itinerary, especially in autumn.
For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
See more of the temple in our video below! ⇩
Details
NAME:Rurikoin Temple (瑠璃光院)
ACCESS:Yase-Hieizanguchi Station
PROFILE
Follow us @Japankuru on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
COMMENT
FEATURED MEDIA
VIEW MORE・Accommodations for Odaiba Sightseers: Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu PREMIER ・住宿推薦 三井花園飯店 豐洲普米爾 ・오다이바 관광 맞춤 숙소: 미츠이 가든 호텔 토요스 프리미어 ・ค้างคืนที่ Mitsui Garden Hotel Toyosu Premier โรงแรมสำหรับผู้มาเยือน Odaiba #japankuru #odaiba #tokyo #tokyotrip #japantrip #japantravel #mitsuigardenhotel #mitsuigardenhoteltoyosupremier #tokyohotel #odaibahotel #toyosu #tokyoview #tokyobay #rainbowbridge #미츠이가든호텔토요스프리미어 #오다이바 #오다이바맛집 #오다이바건담 #오다이바해변공원 #오다이바야경 #오다이바온천
Nagano Prefecture is famous for delicious soba noodles, and in the city of Ueda, you can learn from the experts! Local aunties run this cooking class, teaching you everything you need to know to make your own delicious plate of soba noodles entirely from scratch. #japankuru #soba #sobanoodles #japanesefood #travelexperience #japan #japantrip #ueda #nagano #japaneseculture #japanexperience #daytrip #daytour #cookingclass #japanesecookingclass #上田市 #そば作り #소바체험 #우에다시 #나가노여행 #일본소바
Kuramae Shrine is known for its early-blooming cherry blossoms and its gorgeous golden mimosa blooms, making it a great sakura spot for travelers arriving in Tokyo a little early for the main cherry blossom season. It’s also tucked away in a neighborhood packed with trendy cafes and coffee shops. Kuramae is a lovely place to spend the day. 🌸☕️ ・ #japankuru #kuramaeshrine #kuramae #tokyo #tokyotrip #cherryblossom #cherryblossoms #mimosa #tokyocherry #花見 #蔵前神社 #ミモザ #桜 #東京 #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #Japón #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #일본여행 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan
Local Japanese Favorites at the Okinawa Don Quijote ② Ohta’s Isan, the digestive aid of the Japanese people ・ ・ 2024唐吉訶德不可不知的好物推薦② 日本國民消化小幫手:太田胃散 ・ ・ 오키나와 돈키호테 숨은 꿀템2. 일본 국민 소화제! 오타이산 #japankuru #okinawa #donki #沖縄 #오키나와 #오키나와여행 #오키나와돈키호테 #일본쇼핑리스트 #오타이산 #일본소화제 #太田胃酸 #ohtasisan
Happy Valentine's Day from the Japankuru team! May your day be full of sweet chocolates and sweet nothings. 💕 Or, if you're like a rising number of women in Japan, take the opportunity to treat yourself! 🍫💝💆 • Find out more at Japankuru.com! (Link in bio.) • #japankuru #valentinesday #valentineschocolate #japanesechocolate #japaneseculture #バレンタイン #バレンタインチョコ #メリーチョコレート #Japan #日本 #일본 #Japon #ญี่ปุ่น #Japão #япония #japantravel #日本旅行 #日本旅遊 #일본여행 #japan_of_insta #japantrip #traveljapan #japan🇯🇵 #japanlife #igerstokyo #explorejapan #japanfocus #enjoyjapan #japantravelphoto
Japankuru Coupon: BEAMS fashion, accessories, lifestyle goods, and more! BEAMS 5% Discount Coupon ▶︎ Validity Dates: February 1 ~ February 29, 2024 ▶︎ Discount: 5% off all products in-store ▶︎ Usable At: BEAMS stores throughout Japan (all stores except BEAMS JAPAN Izumo and BEAMS JAPAN Nikko) ▶︎ Details: Please present this coupon page before payment to receive your discount! This coupon is also valid in combination with tax-free discounts/refunds for foreign tourists. (Tax-free shopping is only available at some BEAMS locations.) Some products may not be eligible for discount. ・ ・ ・ BEAMS - JAPANKURU優惠折扣券 BEAMS 2024年2月限定特別優惠券 店內全部商品95折 ▶︎使用期間:2024/2/1到2024/2/29 ▶︎使用範圍:日本全國店舖 ▶︎使用方法:結帳時請務必事先向店員出示本優惠券,若未出示本優惠券恕無法享有本優惠。本優惠券可搭配免稅優惠一併使用,但不排除特定門市無法使用本優惠券。此外,不排除特定商品不適用本優惠券。 ・ ・ ・ 「빔즈(BEAMS) x 재팬쿠루(JAPANKURU)」스페셜 할인 쿠폰 빔즈(BEAMS) 5% 할인 쿠폰 ▶유효기간: 2024년 2월 1일 ~ 2월 29일(한 달 동안) ▶︎할인율: 매장 내 전 상품 “5% 할인" ▶︎해당 매장: 일본 전국 빔즈 (BEAMS) 매장 (BEAMS JAPAN이즈모、BEAMS JAPAN닛코는 쿠폰 할인 대상 제외 점포입니다) ▶︎상세 내용: 결제 전 본 쿠폰 페이지를 제시하면 정가대비 5% 할인된 금액에 구매하실 수 있습니다! 본 쿠폰은 외국인 관광객들을 대상으로 하고 있으므로 면세 혜택(빔즈 일부 매장)과 별도로 추가 할인이 가능합니다. (일부 매장 및 제품은 대상에서 제외될 수 있습니다.) #japankuru #beams #beamsjapan #beamsginza #coupon #재팬쿠루 #빔즈재팬 #빔즈 #일본여행 #일본쇼핑 #일본쇼핑리스트 #銀座 #東京 #tokyoshopping #japankurucoupon