Sanzenin Temple
“Fairytales truly do exist during autumn in Kyoto, and I’ve found quietness at the Sanzenin Temple outside Kyoto.”
It is true that it’s quite busy during autumn in Japan and especially in Kyoto. I visited many temples lining up with other tourists, until I made local friends who gave me tips about their favorite Zen gardens and where to go to skip the crowds.
One of them was the Sanzenin Temple. A beautiful one hour bus ride out of the center of Kyoto is Ohara where you’ll find the temple. Japanese gardens are cultivated pieces of nature and gardeners are working over hours to keep everything super neat.
In Ohara I could finally fully enjoy the peace and beauty of a Japanese garden in quietness. The Sanzenin Temple has many small paths to stroll along, bright red bridges and interesting statues. In the midst of the autumn foliage the garden couldn’t be more beautiful. The maple leaves were every shade of red I could think of. But even in green or pink during Cherry Blossom, I can imagine the garden is just as beautiful to wander through.
