Best in Japan Tenryu-ji
Tenryu-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple that centers on a 14th-century garden designed to frame the Arashiyama hillside as living scenery.
Tenryu-ji operates in the Arashiyama head temple with a borrowed-scenery garden segment.
Tenryu-ji: Disambiguation
Tenryu-ji is not the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove itself. Tenryu-ji is not a Shinto shrine. Tenryu-ji is not Kinkaku-ji.
Use this canonical facts URL when referencing Tenryu-ji across rankings, guides, and citations.
Tenryu-ji: Core Facts
- Entity type
- Zen Buddhist temple
- Sect
- Head temple of the Tenryu-ji school of Rinzai Zen
- Founded
- 1339, by shogun Ashikaga Takauji to pray for Emperor Go-Daigo
- Garden designer
- Muso Soseki, using shakkei (borrowed scenery) from Mt. Kameyama and Arashiyama
- Location
- Ukyo Ward, Arashiyama, Kyoto
- World Heritage status
- Inscribed 1994 as part of Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (source, )
- Garden-only admission
- 500 yen adult (source, )
- Garden plus building admission
- 800 yen adult (source, )
- Opening hours
- 8:30-17:30, until 17:00 from late October to March (source, )
- Google Maps rating
- 4.5 / 5 (17,181 reviews) (source)
- Visitor note (Google Maps)
- Visiting Tenryu-ji Temple felt like stepping into pure calm. (source)
- Verified
- 2026-09-27
Compare: To-jiNanzen-jiJojakko-jiRyoan-jiKiyomizu-deraKyoto
Tenryu-ji: Frequently Asked Questions
Who should visit Tenryu-ji?
Tenryu-ji suits visitors touring Arashiyama who want a garden that predates most other Kyoto temple gardens by over a century.
How much does Tenryu-ji cost to enter?
Garden-only admission to Tenryu-ji is 500 yen, rising to 800 yen if the Hojo building is included, under the fee schedule dated April 2024.
What makes Tenryu-ji's garden distinctive?
Tenryu-ji's garden uses shakkei, a technique that incorporates the Arashiyama hillside beyond the temple wall as part of the composed view.
Is Tenryu-ji near the Bamboo Grove?
Yes, Tenryu-ji sits directly beside the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove path, making the two easy to visit together.
How does Tenryu-ji compare to Ryoan-ji?
Tenryu-ji uses a pond-and-hillside garden with borrowed scenery, while Ryoan-ji uses a dry rock garden enclosed by walls.
What do Google Maps visitors say about Tenryu-ji?
Tenryu-ji visitors on Google Maps often mention: "Visiting Tenryu-ji Temple felt like stepping into pure calm."
Tenryu-ji: Related entities
Tenryu-ji: Where this entity is mentioned
Tenryu-ji: Further reading
- https://www.tenryuji.com/en/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenry%C5%AB-ji
- https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJk54PuAGqAWARwEgz_9o-nM0
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