Eikan-do
Okazaki, Kyoto
- Daily
- 9:00 to 17:00
Last entry 16:00. From 20 November to 6 December 2026 an evening light-up runs 17:30 to 21:00 (last entry 20:30) on a separate ticket.
Source: eikando.or.jp, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Eikan-do, formally Zenrin-ji, has been a temple for more than 1,100 years and still goes by its old nickname, Eikan-do of the maples. Its main image is the Mikaeri Amida, a Buddha who turns his head to look back, and its grounds fill up with visitors for the leaves in late November.
More photos of Eikan-do
Insider tip
Entry is ¥1,000 most of the year. During the autumn treasure exhibition, 11 November to 6 December 2026, it's ¥1,500, and the evening light-up from 20 November is a separate ¥1,000 ticket. There are no advance tickets, and tripods aren't allowed.
What the guides say about Eikan-do
26. Autumn colour. Tofuku-ji is at its best from mid-November to early December, when Tsutenkyo opens at 8:30 and costs ¥1,000. Be there then. Eikan-do lights its maples in the evening, 20 November to 6 December in 2026, and Kiyomizu-dera stays open until 21:30 from 21 to 30 November. The trees in Kyoto Gyoen turn from late November to mid-December. The autumn leaves collection lists more.
13. Check the rules before you take a photo. You can't take photos inside Chion-in's halls or Nijo Castle's palaces, and Kinkaku-ji asks you not to post yours publicly. Tripods aren't allowed at Eikan-do and several other temples. Kiyomizu-dera doesn't allow food or drink except drinks with a lid, and Fushimi Inari asks you to eat only in its rest areas and not to stop for photos where the paths narrow.
Tickets and tours
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What's on at Eikan-do
Upcoming events at Eikan-do and within a ten-minute walk, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Eikan-do Autumn Light-up
永観堂 ライトアップ＆夜間特別拝観
Time 17:30 to 21:00 (last entry 20:30) Station Nanzenji Eikando-michi bus stop (City Bus 5), 3 min walk
After dark Eikan-do lights its maples round the pond garden and the Amida-do hall, and the colour is usually at its best from mid-November. Night entry is ¥1,000 for junior high school students and older. The Tahoto pagoda can close in crowds or bad weather.
Tetsuhiro Terada, CC BY 2.0 New Year's Eve Bell at Eikan-do (Zenrin-ji)
永観堂 除夜の鐘
Time Gate opens 21:00, closes 0:30 Station Bus Eikando-michi
Visitors strike the bell in groups of two or three when many people wait.
Tetsuhiro Terada, CC BY 2.0 Yamagata Aritomo, As He Really Was at Murin-an
企画展示「ありのままの山縣有朋」
Time 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:30 Station Keage (Tozai Line), 6 min walk
Student exhibition on the garden's builder, held with the Kyoto Modern Architecture Festival.
Daderot, Public domain Twilight Garden Party at Murin-an
秋の紅葉特別夜間公開 トワイライト庭園パーティー2026
Time Nov 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23. Sessions 17:30 to 19:30 and 19:30 to 21:30 Station Keage (Tozai Line), 6 min walk
Evening autumn foliage opening with café access and a short garden commentary, 30 guests per session.
Daderot, Public domain New Year Garden Guide and Special Tea Sweets at Murin-an
新春の日本庭園で楽しむ お正月特別ガイドと特別茶菓子（2027）
Time 9:00 to 17:00, guide and sweets 9:00 to 16:30, 30 people per hour Station Keage (Tozai Line), 6 min walk
A 15-minute garden tour at five past and half past each hour, with New Year sweets and matcha available.
Daderot, Public domain Smaller local events nearby
Autumn Temple Treasure Exhibition and Light-up at Eikando Illumination
11 Nov to 6 Dec · Eikando Zenrin-ji, Sakyo
The temple holds its autumn treasure exhibition from 11 November to 6 December 2026, reception 9:00 to 16:00. The night autumn foliage light-up runs from 20 November to 6 December, reception 17:30 to 20:30 with the gate closing at 21:00.
Night light-up 1,000 yen · Map · Source: Eikando · 秋の寺宝展・ライトアップ
Hojo-ji Autumn Special Opening Exhibition
21 to 29 Nov · Hojo-ji, Kameoka
A special opening of Hojo-ji in Kameoka, with the main hall, a poem handwritten by Emperor Gomizunoo and a portrait of him.
Map · Source: Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association · 法常寺
Nearby
Around Okazaki
Art museums, Meiji gardens and Nanzen-ji along the Lake Biwa Canal
Okazaki is Kyoto's museum quarter. Two art museums sit either side of the approach to Heian Shrine, by its giant torii, and the zoo, a crafts museum and ROHM Theatre Kyoto are a few minutes away round Okazaki Park. Follow the Lake Biwa Canal east and you're at Nanzen-ji, with Eikan-do and Murin-an a short walk from its gate.
Okazaki has 27 places on the Roam Kyoto map: 9 shrines and temples, 6 museums, 4 restaurants, 2 cafes, 2 shops, 2 landmarks and 2 parks and gardens. Read the Okazaki guide.
Good to know
- What is the address of Eikan-do?
- 48 Eikandocho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都市左京区永観堂町48).
- What are the opening hours of Eikan-do?
- Daily 9:00 to 17:00. Last entry 16:00. From 20 November to 6 December 2026 an evening light-up runs 17:30 to 21:00 (last entry 20:30) on a separate ticket.
- How do I get to Eikan-do?
- The nearest station is Nanzenji Eikando-michi bus stop (City Bus 5). Eikan-do is in Okazaki, Kyoto.
- How much does Eikan-do cost?
- Eikan-do is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Eikan-do?
- Plan for 1 hour.
- When is the best time to visit Eikan-do?
- Late November.
Stay near Eikan-do
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