天龍寺 · Buddhist temple
The temple records that it was founded in 1339 by Ashikaga Takauji, with Muso Soseki as founding abbot, to console the spirit of Emperor Go-Daigo. It is a Rinzai Zen temple, and was placed first among the Five Mountains of Kyoto.
The Sogenchi garden is the centre of the site; the temple records it as the first place in Japan to be designated both a historic site and a special place of scenic beauty. The buildings named by the temple include the Hatto hall, the Ohojo and Shoin, and the Tahoden, with the Hyakkaen garden beyond them.
The times below are the times published by the temple. Each area has its own hours.
| Garden (Sogenchi and Hyakkaen) | 8:30–17:00, last entry 16:50Tenryu-ji — visiting hours and fees |
|---|---|
| Buildings (Ohojo, Shoin, Tahoden) | 8:30–16:45, last entry 16:30Tenryu-ji — visiting hours and fees |
| Hatto hall — Cloud Dragon painting | Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only, 9:00–16:30, last entry 16:20. The temple also lists periods in spring and autumn when it opens daily, and closure dates that change from year to year.Tenryu-ji — visiting hours and fees |
| Garden — high school age and above | 500 yen |
|---|---|
| Garden — primary and junior high school | 300 yen |
| Garden — preschool age | Free |
| Buildings, added to the garden ticket | 300 yen |
| Hatto hall, charged separately | 500 yen |
Address: Susukinobaba-cho 68, Saga Tenryuji, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
This route starts at Tenryu-ji, whose garden opens at 8:30. The next two stops open at 9:00.
This shows the order of the walk. It is a diagram, not a map, and not to scale. Walking times are map-route estimates between the listed locations.
| History and background | Tenryu-ji — history of the temple |
|---|---|
| What you can see | Tenryu-ji — buildings and garden |
| Garden (Sogenchi and Hyakkaen), Buildings (Ohojo, Shoin, Tahoden), Hatto hall — Cloud Dragon painting, Admission | Tenryu-ji — visiting hours and fees |
| Getting there | Kyoto City Official Travel Guide — Tenryu-ji |
Information checked: September 4, 2026.