Kyoto is getting colder day by day.
As we approach the end of November, we are finally in the season of autumn leaves.
We would like to introduce Ruriko-in Temple from among several popular spots that hold special visits as well as Corona.
Ruriko-in, which became famous on SNS. It is a venerable temple in the area called Yase in Kyoto. It is usually closed to the public, but you can have a special visit in spring and autumn.
In 2020, a reservation system is required to prevent the spread of infection, and only 180 people can visit each hour.
Advance reservation
Reservations are for one person at a time.
Please note that the application destinations for the visit and the light-up visit are different.
〇 Reservation site
https://airrsv.net/yoyaku-rurikoin/calendar
* Reception deadline: Until 5:00 pm one day before
〇About reservations for light-up events
https://souda-kyoto.jp/travelplan/yase_autumn/index.html
* Currently waiting for cancellation due to full thanks
【Basic information】
Event name:
Special visit in the fall of 2020
Visiting period:
October 1st (Thursday) -December 20th (Thursday), 2020
* No holidays during the period
Visiting time:
10: 00-17: 00 (closed)
* November 1st (Sun) -December 6th (Sun)9:30 am to 6:00 pm (closed)
Venue:
Ruriko-in
55 Kamitakano Higashiyama, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 606-0067
Admission fee:
2,000 yen per person (free for elementary school students and younger, 1,000 yen for junior high school students and above with student ID)
Advance reservation system (180 people per hour), No ticket sales on the day
How to get to the Ruriko-in Temple
There is three-way to get to the Ruriko-in temple.
Avoid Traffic Jam！ Get the train
JR Kyoto St.→Get off the “Tofuku-Ji” St. on the JR Nara Line and Exchange to “Tofuku-Ji” St. on the Keihan line. (Same place)→Get off the “Demachi Yanagi” St. and Exchange to “Demachi Yanagi” St. on the Eizan line. Get off the “Yase Hieizan Guchi” St. and a 5-minute walk from the station.
Time: 44 minutes
One-way fare: 690 yen
Easy way. Direct Bus
Get on Kyoto Bus #17 head to “Yase Eki Mae” at the Kyoto St. and a 7-minute walk from the station.
Time: 54 minutes * The bus could be delayed by approx. 15 minutes because of the traffic jam.
One-way fare: 400 yen
The combination of a subway and a bus
JR/ Karasuma Subway line “Kyoto” St. →Get off ”Kokusai Kaikan” St. on the Karasuma Subway line→Get on the Kyoto Bus #19 head to “Yase Eki Mae” at the ”Kokusai Kaikan” St.and 7-minute walk from the station.
Time: 37 minutes
One-way Fare: 520 yen
KoI staff chose the third one “The combination of a subway and a bus”.
Here is the reason.
The first way, the staff thought the fare is expensive as one-way because the tourists should visit several/many spots for sightseeing.
The second one, is the easiest way to get the Ruriko-in and you can enjoy watching the city view but the route could be crowded in fall. We want to arrive at the temple as soon as possible for the check-in, so we don’t want to waste the time.
We suggest the third one is the best way to get to the temple.
It able to avoid the crowded area and the fare is reasonable.
We used the “ Subway, Bus One-Day Pass” so it costs only 900 yen.
If your trip around Kyoto is worth getting.
Kyoto City Transportation Bureau：Subway, Bus One-Day Pass Website
We know the “Bus One-Day Pass”, but the Yase / Ohara area include Ruriko-in is excluded.
How long does it take to enter the Ruriko-in Temple?
Everyone cares about the CROWDS.
When you google “Ruriko-in”, you can find “Wait for 3 hours!” “Awful waiting” ……
It‘s a kinda amusement park.
What’s the Ruriko-in Temple?
Ruriko-in temple is located in the northern part of Kyoto city and near Mt. Hiei.
The Ruriko-in temple is one of the branches of the Komyo-Ji temple, Jodo Sect, and the main worship is Amidanyorai.
とはいえ、the temple was originally built as a villa for a politician in the Taisho era.
The Ruriko-in temple had opened in 2014 but it decided to open twice a year, spring and fall to preserve the environment of the gardens.
Even so, the number of tourists get higher year by year because of the popularity of Instagram.
The amazing reflection of the maple trees on the table is just stunning.
The Breathtaking Landscape in Ruriko-in Temple
It takes more than an hour to see the scenery but it surely deserves it.
Everyone can take a magnificent shot.
Of course, it is a breathtaking view, but the crowds made me suffocating.
“Ruri Garden” is also picturesque.
Besides the crowds, the birds tweeted as sing and the garden looks like heaven as its concept.
The reflected red light was shining brightly in the room near the “Garyo Garden”.
Is there any activity at Ruriko-in Temple?
The staff gives you a piece of paper and a pen for the Sutra copying at the entrance.
There are some tables on the second floor for that.
Goshuin (a signature that is given at a shrine or a temple)
The fee is as you wish but it commonly 300 yen.
We would suggest going to the ground floor and pay for a cup of green tea and Japanese sweet. The view was not as good as the upper floor, but much fewer people that you could enjoy the peace.
There are many cultural treasures in the room so don’t miss seeing them.
What about barrier-free support for wheelchairs?
Originally built in the early Showa period, it is a “villa at the foot of the mountain”, so there are many steep stairs and you may not be able to slip on a rainy day.
In addition, there is a lot of waiting time until the visit, and there is also waiting in cold places such as the shadows of the mountains, so it can be said that it is not a good spot for family trips with elderly people and small children.
Please plan according to the purpose of your trip.
Do you need more information?
You should receive such local information of Kyoto by an application “KoI APP”.
With this application, even if you don’t have Wi-Fi, you can find nearby stores and so on.
You can install the application from the following URL.
