Daigo-ji
Daigo, Kyoto
8 Dec to 29 Feb
- Daily
- 9:00 to 16:30
Rest of the year
- Daily
- 9:00 to 17:00
Closes at 16:30 from the day after the first Sunday of December to the end of February. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Hours can change in spring.
Source: daigoji.or.jp, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Daigo-ji climbs from the foot of Mount Daigo to its summit, and its five-storey pagoda, finished in 951, is the oldest wooden building in Kyoto Prefecture. Toyotomi Hideyoshi threw his famous cherry blossom party here in 1598, planting 700 trees for it, and he designed the Sanbo-in garden. Kamidaigo, the original temple on the summit, is about an hour's steep climb from the trailhead.
Insider tip
Sanbo-in, the pagoda grounds and the Reihokan museum cost ¥1,500 together or ¥600 each. In the spring season (20 March to the third Sunday of April) the joint ticket is ¥1,800. To climb to Kamidaigo you have to set off by 15:00 (14:00 in winter) and be back down by 17:00. It's a 10-minute walk from exit 2 of Daigo station.
What the guides say about Daigo-ji
Daigo-ji's five-storey pagoda, finished in 951, is the oldest wooden building in Kyoto Prefecture, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi threw his famous cherry blossom party here in 1598. Sanbo-in, the pagoda grounds and the Reihokan museum cost ¥1,500 together (¥1,800 from 20 March to the third Sunday of April). Take JR from Kyoto Station to Yamashina (5 minutes, ¥180), then the Tozai Line to Daigo (about 10), and walk 10 minutes from exit 2. From 20 November to 6 December 2026 the maples are lit from 18:00 to 20:50, and you'll need a separate ¥1,500 ticket. In spring it's on the cherry blossom list.
27. Cherry blossom. Weeping cherries in Kyoto Gyoen start in mid-March. Maruyama Park's old weeping cherry and the trees at Gion Shirakawa are lit after dark, the Philosopher's Path has 360 cherries given by the painter Hashimoto Kansetsu in 1922, and Ninna-ji's low Omuro cherries flower in early to mid-April. Daigo-ji is where Hideyoshi planted 700 trees for his 1598 blossom party. See the cherry blossom collection.
Tickets and tours
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What's on at Daigo-ji
Upcoming events at Daigo-ji, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Daigo-ji Autumn Night Viewing
醍醐寺 秋期夜間拝観
Time 18:00 to 20:50 (last entry 20:10) Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 12 min walk
Daigo-ji lights the maples of the Rinsen pond area, where the red Bentendo and the trees reflect in the water, and the temple buildings round them. Day and night visitors are fully separated, so you'll need a night ticket.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 New Year's Eve Bell at Daigo-ji
醍醐寺 除夜の鐘
Time Service 21:30, bell from about 23:00 Station Daigo Station (Tozai Line)
A New Year's Eve service is followed by the bell. Bell strikes are donated at the Sanpoin office from 10 December, 1,000 yen (planned).
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Godairiki-san at Daigo-ji
五大力尊仁王会（醍醐寺）
Time Men from 11:00, women from 13:00 Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 13 min walk from exit 2
In front of the Kondo hall, men try to hold up a 150 kg rice cake and women a 90 kg one for as long as they can. Entrants apply in advance, and you can watch.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Daigo-ji Reihokan Spring Exhibition
醍醐寺霊宝館 春期特別展
Time 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30) Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 12 min walk
Timed for the cherry season, the museum shows part of Daigo-ji's 100,000 treasures under a new theme each year, and you can see the cherries in its grounds too. In 2026 the theme was gold and Hideyoshi's dream, with a gold tea bowl said to be his gift.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Junteikannon Opening Service at Daigo-ji
准胝観世音菩薩ご開扉法要（醍醐寺）
Time Services May 15 at 10:30, May 18 at 10:30, May 21 at 14:00 Station Daigo (Tozai Line), 10 min walk
For a week around May 18 the principal image Junteikannon, a Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage temple deity, is shown at the Kannon-do, with services on the first, middle and last days. The dates are from the usual pattern.
Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 Smaller local events nearby
Daigo-ji Reihokan Autumn Special Exhibition Exhibition
23 Oct to 6 Dec · Daigo-ji Reihokan
A showing of part of Daigo-ji's collection of more than 100,000 temple treasures and cultural properties.
Map · Source: Kyoto Prefectural Tourism Federation · 醍醐寺霊宝館秋期特別展
Ryugi-e Ceremony Festival
Sun 25 Oct · Daigo-ji Reihokan
A Buddhist debate ceremony revived with the cooperation of Todai-ji, held at the Reihokan of Daigo-ji; the Reihokan admission fee applies.
13:00 to · Map · Source: Daigo-ji · 竪義会（りゅうぎえ）
Nearby
Good to know
- What is the address of Daigo-ji?
- 22 Daigo Higashioji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都市伏見区醍醐東大路町22).
- What are the opening hours of Daigo-ji?
- 8 Dec to 29 Feb: Daily 9:00 to 16:30. Rest of the year: Daily 9:00 to 17:00. Closes at 16:30 from the day after the first Sunday of December to the end of February. Last entry 30 minutes before closing. Hours can change in spring.
- How do I get to Daigo-ji?
- The nearest station is Daigo (Tozai Line). Daigo-ji is in Daigo, Kyoto.
- How much does Daigo-ji cost?
- Daigo-ji is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Daigo-ji?
- Plan for 2-3 hours.
- When is the best time to visit Daigo-ji?
- Cherry blossom season.
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