Kozan-ji
Takao, Kyoto
- Daily
- 8:30 to 17:00
Source: kosanji.com, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Kozan-ji is the temple of the Choju-giga, the Heian and Kamakura scrolls of rabbits, monkeys and frogs at play like people. The monk Myoe rebuilt it in 1206 and grew tea here, and the temple still picks tea from a small field every year that it calls the oldest tea garden in Japan. The Sekisui-in hall is a National Treasure.
Insider tip
The grounds are free except in autumn (¥500), and Sekisui-in costs ¥1,000. JR Bus from Kyoto Station takes about 55 minutes to the Toganoo stop, or City Bus 8 from Shijo about 50. Jingo-ji is on the same routes, so it's easy to do both.
What the guides say about Kozan-ji
At Jingo-ji (¥1,000), where Kukai was abbot from 809, you throw small clay discs called kawarake off the lookout to get rid of bad luck. It's a 20-minute walk from the Takao stop. Kozan-ji, at the Toganoo stop, is the temple of the Choju-giga, the scrolls of rabbits, monkeys and frogs at play like people, and its grounds are free except in autumn (¥500). JR Bus from Kyoto Station takes about 50 minutes to Takao and 55 to Toganoo. It's all inside the city's flat-fare zone, so the ¥1,100 subway and bus one-day pass covers it.
Tickets and tours
SponsoredRoam Kyoto earns a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
What's on near Kozan-ji
Upcoming events within a ten-minute walk of Kozan-ji, from the weekly Kyoto events calendar.
Arashiyama RIDE MARKET on the Arashiyama-Takao Parkway
-バイカーズパラダイス- 嵐山 RIDE MARKET
Time 10:00 to 16:00 Station By car or motorcycle (motorcycles of 125 cc and under are not allowed on the parkway)
A two-day motorcycle event on the toll road with long test rides, brand displays, goods stalls, a flea market and food trucks, per the organiser's plan. Test rides need advance booking at ¥1,500 a ride, and the parkway toll is separate.
Takao Mononoke Yuzan Yokai Halloween
高雄物怪遊山 ー京の奥座敷で妖怪ハロウィン
Time 11:00 to 17:00
A Halloween day in the Takao mountains with a yokai tea house, yokai mask making and a yokai riddle trail. No reservation is needed and it goes ahead in rain. Mask making costs 1,000 yen and the riddle kit 1,500 yen.
Smaller local events nearby
Tea offering ceremony at Kozan-ji Festival
Sun 8 Nov (dates to be confirmed) · Kaizan-do, Kozan-ji, Takao
Kozan-ji held a tea offering ceremony service at the Kaizan-do hall from about 10:30 on Saturday 8 November 2025, and attendees go to the hall by the start time. The 2026 date is not posted yet.
Map · Source: Kozan-ji · 高山寺 献茶式法要
Memorial service for Myoe Shonin at Kozan-ji Festival
Tue 19 Jan (dates to be confirmed) · Kaizan-do, Kozan-ji, Takao
Kozan-ji held a memorial service for founder Myoe Shonin at the Kaizan-do hall from about 10:30 on 19 January 2026, and attendees go to the hall by the start time. The 2027 date is not posted yet.
Map · Source: Kozan-ji · 高山寺 開山忌法要
Nearby
Good to know
- What is the address of Kozan-ji?
- 8 Umegahata Togano-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto (in Japanese: 京都市右京区梅ヶ畑栂尾町8).
- What are the opening hours of Kozan-ji?
- Daily 8:30 to 17:00.
- How do I get to Kozan-ji?
- The nearest station is Toganoo bus stop (JR Bus, City Bus 8). Kozan-ji is in Takao, Kyoto.
- How much does Kozan-ji cost?
- Kozan-ji is cheap, marked ¥ on the site's price scale.
- How long do you need at Kozan-ji?
- Plan for 1 hour.
- When is the best time to visit Kozan-ji?
- Weekday mornings.
Stay near Kozan-ji
Browse live availability and compare prices around Takao.
See hotels near Kozan-ji on Booking.comPrices are for the night of Saturday 24 October. You can change the dates on Booking.com. If you book, Roam Kyoto earns a small commission from Stay22 at no extra cost to you.