Saimyō-ji (西明寺)

Saimyō-ji (西明寺)

Saimyo-ji is one of the three temple of the Takao area in Kyoto, the two other ones being Jingo-ji and Kozan-ji. The temple was founded in early 8th century by a monk named Chisen.

Like its two neighbours, Saimyo-ji is known for its beautiful autumn colours. The temples grounds, however, don't have many special features; the best views are more around the the area, especially the bridge that leads to the temple. However, despite the rain, there were still quite a few tourists when I visited in autumn. If the weather is good, the distance from Kyoto of these three temples will not deter bus-loads of tourists. As an alternative to autumn, the isolated and mountainous area makes it a good candidate for a winter trip.

Recommended for: Access:

Nearby: Kōzan-ji 高山寺 (480m), Jingo-ji 神護寺 (490m)

External links: ウィキペディア, Kyoto Navi, Trip Advisor, Kyoto Design, 京都風光, Inside Kyoto, Marutake, そうだ京都, Satellite view, Map

Keywords: Japan, 日本, Japon, Kyoto, 京都, 西明寺, temple, Saimyo-ji, 寺院, 仏閣

Statistics: visited on 4 occasions, id 319, 8 photos (17 extra photos can be found in the archive).

Photos of Saimyō-ji:

Lantern in autumn (Saimyo-ji 西明寺)
Moss garden in autumn (Saimyo-ji 西明寺)
Lantern and maple tree in autumn at the entrance of Saimyo-ji (西明寺)
Lanterns along the stairs leading to Saimyo-ji (西明寺)
Orange bridge lost in green spring vegetation, Saimyo-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
The numerous layers of a curved wooden roof in Saimyo-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan
Red bridge and red autumn foliage on the way to Saimyo-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan