Chion-in Autumn Illumination

Chion-in, the head temple of the Jodo school of Buddhism, lights up its grounds on autumn evenings during the fall foliage season. The National Treasure Sanmon gate and Mieido hall, along with Yuzen-en, a garden linked to the founder of Kyoto's Yuzen dyeing, are illuminated together with the autumn leaves, with lighting design by AXIZ Light. For 2026, marking the 60th anniversary of the Otetsugi movement, the upper floor of the Sanmon gate (corridor only), normally closed to the public, opens so you can look out over Kyoto's rooftops and night views from up high. A casual talk with monks and a monk-guided tour that takes in normally closed areas such as the inner sanctuary of the Mieido are also planned. A short walk from Gion and Maruyama Park, it fits easily into an evening in Higashiyama.