Tōfuku-ji Temple
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Tofuku ji Temple is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto’s Higashiyama-ku, known for Japan’s oldest sanmon gate.
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Why go
- Japanese maple trees viewed from Tsūten-kyō bridge in autumn.
- The Blue Dragon ceiling painted by Inshō Dōmoto.
Don't miss
- Sanmon gateJapan’s oldest gate of its kind, two stories tall and five bays wide.Main gate
- Funda-in gardenA stone-and-sand garden designed by Sesshū.Funda-in
- Ryū-in Zen gardenA garden created by Mirei Shigemori.Ryū-in1939
Interesting facts3
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24 sub
The complex has 24 sub-temples; it once had as many as 53.
Tōfuku-ji - Wikipedia -
The temple complex has Japan’s oldest communal toilet, built in the first half of the Muromachi period.
Tōfuku-ji - Wikipedia -
Plaques bearing Wuzhun Shifan’s calligraphy are kept at the temple.
Tōfuku-ji - Wikipedia
History
Fires damaged the complex in the 14th century and again in 1881.
- 1236Kujō Michiie founded Tofuku ji and appointed the monk Enni as its founding priest. The temple was modeled on major temple complexes in Nara.
- 13th centuryIt was regarded as a replica of Chinese public monasteries in Zhejiang Province.
- 14th centuryFires destroyed much of the original complex. The temple was rebuilt following its original plans.
- 1881A fire destroyed several major buildings, including the Main Hall and Hōjo.
- 1917The main hall and Hattō were rebuilt.
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- 1939Mirei Shigemori designed the current gardens.
Tips for your visit
- The nehan-zu painting is rarely displayed; its last recorded display was three days in 2003.
Best time to visit
- Autumn draws crowds for the Japanese maple foliage. Visitors traditionally view the leaves from Tsūten-kyō bridge.
Sources: Tōfuku-ji - Wikipedia · Tōfuku-ji - Wikipedia · Tōfuku-ji - Wikipedia · checked 27 Oct 2026
Where
605-0981 15 778, Kyoto
- Website
- tofukuji.jp/
- Phone
- +81 75-561-0087
Questions and answers
What is the oldest gate at Tofuku ji Temple?
The temple’s sanmon is considered Japan’s oldest gate of its kind.
When was Tofuku ji Temple founded?
Kujō Michiie founded the temple in 1236.
What gardens can you see at Tofuku ji Temple?
Funda-in has a stone-and-sand garden designed by Sesshū. Ryū-in has a Zen garden created by Mirei Shigemori in 1939.
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