The Secret to Enjoying Autumn Leaves in Kyoto

Now that autumn has come, I am waiting excitedly for the leaves to change colors. I love going to see the autumn leaves, but I don’t love waiting in long queues or being bumped around in a sea of people. You may be surprised then, that some of my best leaf viewing experiences were in Kyoto. Many places in Kyoto are very beautiful, but they are also very famous and therefore very crowded. I can still enjoy leaf viewing in Kyoto though, because I have discovered some amazing secrets. I will share some with you, if you promise not to tell too many people…

First, I recommend Kitanotenmangu（北野天満宮）, or rather, the woods around it. Until recently, no visitors were allowed inside this small forest, and it is still closed to the public for most of the year. However, for a couple of weeks in November, we can now walk along the previously hidden paths and enjoy the fall foliage. The grounds are wide, the trees are tall and old and they are even lit up at night. Many people still don’t know about this spot, so it is much less crowded than some of Kyoto’s other destinations.

Speaking of evening light displays, Koudaiji（高台寺）must be one of the most famous. When my wife and I tried to visit, we found a long line of people waiting to buy tickets. The staff said that it would take about three hours to get inside. Shocked and disappointed, we gave up and wondered where to go. That is when we noticed that Entokuin（圓徳院）, directly across form Koudaiji, was open and also had a light display. It was very small, but the illumination of the leaves over its rock garden was lovely, and because there were almost no people there, it was quiet and peaceful.

There is one other reason to go to Entokuin though, and it is the greatest of my secrets. Are you ready? OK, here it is: when you buy your ticket at Entokuin, they will also give you a ticket to Koudaiji. That’s right! So after leaving, my wife and I walked past the hundreds of people waiting to buy tickets outside Koudaiji and we entered without any wait!

So if you are thinking about where to see leaves this year, let me recommend Kyoto, and these three places I have mentioned, in the order I have mentioned them. You are sure to have a wonderful and stress free time!