Tofuku-ji in Autumn: What to See, How the Tickets Work, and How to Get There

We operate the Maiko & Zen Kyoto experience mentioned in this guide.

Tofuku-ji, a Zen temple in southeastern Kyoto, rewards a little planning when you go for the maples. This guide follows what the temple publishes on its own visitor pages, so you can check each detail there, and it points you back to those pages for anything that changes from year to year.

What to See at Tofuku-ji When the Leaves Turn

In autumn, the view from Tsutenkyo Bridge over the Sengyokukan ravine is the highlight the temple itself points to. Take a moment to look down into the trees as well as out across them. Among the red leaves, watch for the gold of the rare three-leaf maples. Do not rush the bridge: once you have crossed, turn to face the way you came for a second angle on the same trees.

Pair the bridge with the Hojo gardens, laid out by Mirei Shigemori in 1939, a designed garden rather than a slope of maples, where a few minutes of sitting makes a calm contrast. The Sanmon gate, a National Treasure, is worth a look on your way in or out. A slow visit works better than a full one, so choose the two or three views that matter to you and leave the rest for another day. Wear shoes that are easy to walk in, since you spend a good part of the visit on your feet, and let yourself sit and look for a while, because the details of a Zen garden reveal themselves slowly. For the history behind the bridge, the maples, and the gardens, and for the temple's other halls, see our Tofuku-ji guide.

One change affects the autumn plan. The Treasure Tour is suspended from October 25 to December 16, so do not build your day around it.

How to Plan Your Route Through the Grounds

The temple sells tickets by area: one for Tsutenkyo Bridge together with the Kaisando, and one for the Hojo gardens. Treat them as two separate stops, and decide which one matters more to you. If you like wide views over the trees, the bridge area may come first for you; if you would rather sit and look at a designed garden, give the Hojo gardens more of your time.

Tsutenkyo Bridge opens at 8:30 am in the autumn period, while the Hojo gardens open at 9:00 am, so the bridge is the natural first stop. After the bridge, walk on to the Hojo gardens for a slower look.

Photography comes with limits. You may be asked not to take photos on Tsutenkyo and Gaun bridges during the autumn special opening, so come for the view itself and not for a picture from the bridge. The temple also asks visitors not to eat or drink on the grounds or use tripods for photography.

Once you walk out, you cannot come back in, so see the Sanmon gate and every other stop before you go.

Tickets and Fees in Autumn

At other times of year, the Tsutenkyo and Kaisando ticket costs adults 600 yen. The Hojo gardens cost adults 500 yen, and that fee rises to 600 yen from November 1, 2026.

Between November 14 and December 6, that ticket goes up to 1,000 yen for adults. Children pay 500 yen for the same area, and the Hojo gardens cost children 300 yen.

The combined ticket for the Hojo gardens and Tsutenkyo and Kaisando costs adults 1,000 yen at other times, but it is not sold from November 14 to December 6. In those weeks, the Tsutenkyo area and the Hojo gardens are separate stops.

Reaching Tofuku-ji by Train or Bus

From Kyoto Station, the JR Nara Line takes about 3 minutes to Tofukuji Station, followed by about 10 minutes on foot. Keihan Tofukuji Station is a similar walk, also about 10 minutes.

By bus, Kyoto City Bus 88 or 208 runs from Kyoto Station in about 15 minutes, and the temple is about 4 minutes on foot from the stop. The adult fare for a city bus ride is 230 yen, and a Subway & Bus 1-Day Pass costs adults 1,100 yen, which suits a day that links several temples by bus.

In the autumn foliage season, plan to arrive by train or bus.

Hours and the Autumn Schedule

The schedule has three periods, and in the autumn weeks the two ticket areas open at different times.

Because the temple sets new autumn dates and hours each year, confirm them on its visitor page before you fix your plans.

Pair Tofuku-ji With a Nearby Stop

Our guide to Tofuku-ji covers the temple in general, and our Kyoto leaf-viewing itinerary places it in a longer day. Pairing temples works well when you keep the day short, so choose one or two extra stops rather than all of them.

Sanjusangendo makes a good second stop. Our Sanjusangendo guide keeps its current visiting details in one place.

Fushimi Inari is the other easy addition. A local train on the JR Nara Line reaches Inari, one stop past Tofukuji, in about 2 to 3 minutes. Inari Station is right next to the shrine and is 2 stations and 5 minutes from Kyoto Station on the same line.

Add a Quiet Temple Stop to Your Day

See a maiko dance at a Zen temple. We operate Maiko & Zen Kyoto, a 90-minute session at Ikka-in, a sub-temple of Tofuku-ji, where a maiko dances in the same temple hall with no stage between you, then takes time for your questions and photos. See current session times and prices.

We operate Maiko & Zen Kyoto at Ikka-in, a sub-temple of Tofuku-ji. Sessions start at 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm, which fits an afternoon slot after a morning of leaf viewing on the temple grounds. Each session is a shared small group with an English-speaking guide. To compare formats before you decide, read our guide to maiko experiences in Kyoto.

Frequently asked questions