Tofukuji Temple is a couple of blocks from Fushimi Inari Taisha and a train stop away to peaceful calm. Tofukuji Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto.
It’s one of the five great Zen temples of Kyoto. The temple grounds is fairly large with more than 20 sub-temples to spend your day. However, there are areas where tourists are not allowed like the main temple next to the Moss Garden. I knew I had to visit Tofukuji temple because of the online pictures of autumn foliage.
As I hopped off the train, Tofukuji temple could be seen from the station. I began my trek to the temple grounds. The imposing main gate was the first thing I noticed when I arrived on the temple grounds. The national treasure is two stories high and the architecture’s details are refined like aged wine.
As I paid the entrance fee to the garden, I made my way across the bridge to realized the temple grounds is fairly large. The running waters disrupted my thoughts and my eyes focused on the light green leaves blowing in the wind. I could spend a whole day sitting in its gorgeous garden while I take in the beautiful green leaves and crisp fresh air. Tofukuji temple running stream brings peace to a tasked filled mind like mine.
I decided to hold off on the stream to make my ascent up the stairs to the main temple. As I entered the main temples garden, my eyes became focus on its beauty and pristine detail to serenity. The aura of peace with it’s architecture and perfectly place green trees in the Spring is a feeling I will never forget. There’s calm that comes to me when I lay my eyes upon Asian inspired architecture and Japanese gardens inside the Tofukuji temple.
I started to make my way to enter the temple. However, I was stop short by a monk explaining tourists are not allowed in it. I quickly turnaround and started heading back to where I begin my journey up. As I left the main temple, I couldn’t help but notice the impressive view of Tofukuji temple architecture. The structure sits on top of the hill and made me realized heaven is right before my eyes.
At the beginning of the stairs, I continued on the pebble path down to the stream to sit at one of the stone benches just to take in the beauty of Tofukuji Temple. My childlike imagination started to wander as images of ancient Japan played within my mind. I wondered whether the people before me got the same feeling when they sat down to relish the garden. It was the same process I got when I walked the Great Wall of China, step foot in Acropolis, walked by the Colosseum, climbed the Pyramids of the Sun and laid eyes on the Great Pyramids of Giza. Tofukuji Temple Kyoto
Japan has capture my heart like so many people before me. There is something unforgettable about Japan; however, Kyoto is life changing and world’s apart from Tokyo. The people, culture and dedication to serenity makes me wish I had the courage to quit the rat race to pursue simplicity. Kyoto is my sanctuary and Tofukuji temple is one of the reasons.
Check out our other Kyoto articles here.
